


Catfishing

by timkons



Category: DCU, DCU (Comics), Red Robin (Comics), Superboy (Comics), Teen Titans (Comics), Young Justice (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Online Dating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-02
Updated: 2016-04-02
Packaged: 2018-05-29 23:08:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 22,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6397729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/timkons/pseuds/timkons
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tim accidentally catfishes Kon. It goes about as well as you can imagine.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_Red Robin_ is online  
_superboy_ is online

 **Red Robin:** HAVE YOU SEEN THE LATEST WENDY THE WEREWOLF STALKER  
**superboy:** NO SPOILERS!!! IT DOESN'T AIR HERE FOR ANOTHER HOUR

That's how it all starts.

-

 **Red Robin:** It sucks you're an hour behind me. Wanna talk about this episode so badly...  
**superboy:** if you spoil it, i swear to god i will block you

Tim bites his bottom lip, grinning wickedly. His fingers fly over the keyboard, elbows shaking slightly from his excitement. Messing with Superboy has to be his new favorite hobby.

 **Red Robin:** :)  
**Red Robin:** Wendy dies at the end of the episode.  
**superboy:** she does NOT  
**Red Robin:** Want to bet?  
**superboy:** oh my god  
**superboy:** you can't be serious  
**Red Robin:** :)  
**superboy:** NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Tim laughs so loud that Jason yells at him to shut up from across the hall.

-

 **Red Robin:** Where do you live that's an hour behind?   
**superboy:** smallville  
**Red Robin:** Whoa  
**superboy:** hbu?  
**Red Robin:** Gotham.  
**superboy:** that's cool. closest i've been is metropolis.  
**Red Robin:** Metropolis is close! We could meet up if you're ever in town again.   
**superboy:** wendycon is in gotham...  
**Red Robin:** COOOME TOOOO GOOOOTHAAAAAM  
**superboy:** lol maybe some day!  
**superboy:** gotta save up first so i can afford all that wendy merch ;)

Tim wiggles in place as Superboy continues to chat with him. He may be an online friend with only Wendy the Werewolf Stalker in common, but Tim considers him a good friend already. Meeting Superboy in person would have to be one of the coolest things  _ever_. (He may or may not already be planning their Totally Awesome Weekend of Wendy Geekiness.)

-

 **Red Robin:**  Bart calls you Kon in the group chat. Is that your name?  
**superboy:**  yeah  
**superboy:**  it's conner actually but kon looks cooler  
**Red Robin:**  Oh.  
**Red Robin:**  Yeah, it does look cool :)  
**superboy:**  :)  
**superboy:**  what's yours?  
**Red Robin:**  I can't tell you.

Tim feels guilty the second he sends it. Superboy- No,  _Kon_  has only been honest and trusting with Tim. He hates the idea of not being able to do the same for Kon.

 **superboy:** why not? :(  
**Red Robin:** It's complicated.   
**Red Robin:** Not because I don't want to, it's just that I have kind of a high profile.  
**superboy:**  WHOA  
**superboy:**  YOU'RE A CELEBRITY???  
**superboy:**  now i really wanna know who you are!  
**Red Robin:**  I'm not a CELEBRITY  
**superboy:**  suuuuuure you're not  
**Red Robin:**  I'm really not!!  
**superboy:**  are you kim kardashian???  
**Red Robin:**  No???  
**Red Robin:**  Do you really think you're cool enough to talk to Kim K?  
**superboy:**  i was hoping :(  
**Red Robin:**  lol!! AS IF  
**superboy:**  ruuuuude  
**superboy:**  okay, so what should i call you?  
**Red Robin:**  Robin.  
**superboy:**  ok, rob :)

...Well, that's one bullet dodged, Tim thinks proudly to himself. There was no telling how people online might use the Wayne name if he told them - and that was if they believed he was even telling the truth. Besides, he liked the idea of Superboy - of Kon - liking him for him. He'd lost so many friends who only wanted him for his money or his fame. This was nice.

-

 **superboy:** i would literally kill for a pizza rn  
**Red Robin:** SAME  
**superboy:** like no joke. idc if it's pineapple and ham, just load me up.  
**Red Robin:** I actually like pineapple on my pizza lol  
**superboy:** SERIOUSLY???  
**Red Robin:** Yeah, it's nice and sweet :)  
**superboy:** too sweet  
**superboy:** nothing like you  
**Red Robin:** RUDE  
**superboy:** seriously, how can you like pineapple on your pizza???  
**Red Robin:** Don't hate!!  
**superboy:** hating on it!!!  
**Red Robin:** Well, I dislike olives   
**superboy:** that??? makes no sense???  
**superboy:** olives are delicious  
**Red Robin:** Ew  
**superboy:** you're ew  
**Red Robin:** How mature  
**Red Robin:** Oh shit, Wendy's on, bbl  
**superboy:** smell ya later, rob

 _Red Robin_  is offline

-

"Hey, Tim," Dick's voice says.

Tim must have jumped at least a foot and he shuts his laptop screen immediately, spinning around in his chair. "You're supposed to knock!"

His older brother laughs, smiling far too wide for his own good. "Ooh, what's that you got there, Timmy?"

"It's nothing!" Tim squeaks, holding his laptop hostage in his arms. He most definitely  _doesn't_  want Dick reading his most recent chat logs with Kon. They started a Wendy the Werewolf Stalker roleplay and things got...furry.

"Riiiight," Dick says in that tone that means he absolutely does not believe Tim. "Listen, I'm taking Damian to the zoo in an hour. Wanna come?"

"Uh." Tim's not too fond of bonding time with his youngest brother, and honestly between the zoo and continuing his roleplay with Kon, it's clear what he'd rather do. Literally. "I'll pass. I have a chemistry test to study for."

Dick raises his eyebrow but says nothing. He frowns for a second but it passes just as quickly as it appeared. "Alright..."

"'Kay," Tim says awkwardly. Dick doesn't move.

"Tim, you've been spending a lot of time online lately." This time, Tim frowns. Dick smiles weakly, his smile lopsided and skewed on his face. "Just don't forget about us too, okay?"

"Okay," Tim mumbles. He didn't realize he'd been spending all his time with Kon lately. It's just that Kon is so fun and easy to talk to. He looks forward to it every day after school and staying up late on the weekends with him. "Sorry."

"It's okay,"Dick says and squeezes Tim's shoulder. "I'm glad you have a friend."

Dick leaves after that and Tim releases his breath. It takes a minute before his nerves calm down and settles the laptop back on the desk. After rebooting his computer, the first thing he does is log into his chat.

 _Red Robin_  is online

 **Red Robin:** Sorry about that, my brother came in.  
**superboy:** it's cool, just worried about you  
**Red Robin:** ((Soooo, continue?))  
**superboy:** ((hell yeah))  
**Red Robin:** ((Ok, I think it was my turn.))  
**superboy:** ((need the last reply?))  
**Red Robin:** ((No, I remember it.))  
**Red Robin:** *Settles against the damp leaves. It just finished raining so the air is fresh. My human senses aren't as strong as yours, but I can smell your werewolf musk approaching. My ankle hurts from where I tripped, making it impossible for me to get away.*   
**superboy:** *Growls, stalking over to you* Smells like mate.  
**Red Robin:** I'm not your mate.   
**superboy:** *Smiles a toothy smile* Not yet, anyway.  
**Red Robin:** *I try to fight you off but your werewolf might is too much for me. I throw my head back as your rough dog tongue slides against my throat. I moan.*  
**superboy:** *Nipping at your throat* Prepare to get knotted.

Tim bites his bottom lip and knows his cheeks are hot. Things are just about to get good when- 

"I thought you had physics this semester," Jason says, leaning over Tim's shoulder and scanning the replies. "And this is some  _weird_  shit."

"Oh my god, Jason, go  _away!_ "

-

"There's a party on Friday, you should come," one of Tim's classmates says.

Tim shrugs. Unless the invitation comes in the mail and has a wax seal, he ignores most parties. They only want him there because he's a Wayne anyway. Plus, he told Kon they could play World of Warcraft together. Tim just created a new character that looked like Wendy's latest werewolf love interest. "I have plans."

-

Tim doesn't realize his mistake until it's too late.

 **Red Robin:**  Brb gotta shower  
**superboy:**  can i come with?  
**Red Robin:**  You're such a fuckboy  
**superboy:**  plsssss  
**Red Robin:**  Ok, seriously. Need to shower.  
**superboy:**  and then what? ;)  
**Red Robin:**  I hate you.  
**superboy:**  lol! ok, go shower  
**superboy:**  i'm just teasing, you know  
**Red Robin:**  Sure you are  
**superboy:**  hey rob  
**Red Robin:**  What?  
**superboy:**  think of me while you lather your tits ;)

Tim stares at the screen, horrified. Tits? Kon thought- Shit. Okay, maybe Robin was a gender neutral name and maybe Tim really enjoyed playing the female character in their roleplays, but that didn't mean he was a girl! Unsure how to correct Kon's incorrect assumption about Red Robin's gender without making it awkward, Tim scurries off to take that shower.

-

 **Red Robin:** If you ever come to Gotham, I'm taking you to Creamy Mama's.  
**superboy:** omg that sounds so dirty  
**Red Robin:** IT'S A DOUGHNUT SHOP  
**superboy:** WHY ARE THE DOUGHNUTS SO SEXY  
**Red Robin:** THEY'RE NOT SEXY, YOU'RE JUST GROSS  
**superboy:** smh!!!  
**Red Robin:** ANYWAY  
**Red Robin:** They're really good. I'm eating one right now.  
**Red Robin:** Creamy Mama's is a chain but they make a special flavor for every city. The Gotham City one is my favorite flavor.   
**superboy:** smallville doesn't have a flavor :(  
**Red Robin:** That's because you don't have a Creamy Mama's.  
**superboy:** STOP SAYING THAT NAME  
**superboy:** shit. now i'm craving doughtnuts  
**Red Robin:** Come eat doughnuts with me, Kon  
**superboy:** omw  
**Red Robin:** lol  
**superboy:** ok but seriously? those doughtnuts are nothing compared to my ma's  
**Red Robin:** Dude. You have not eaten these doughtnuts.  
**superboy:** and YOU have not tried my ma's cooking!!  
**Red Robin:** Touche.  
**superboy:** i think YOU should come to smallville  
**Red Robin:** Oh yeah?  
**superboy:** yeah  
**Red Robin:** Why would I do that?  
**superboy:** ummm because i'm the coolest and you love me, that's why  
**Red Robin:** Maybe  
**superboy:** well if you ever want to...  
**Red Robin:** I totally want to meet you.   
**Red Robin:** But you're coming to Gotham.  
**superboy:** ugh, fine. but only because i like you.

Tim freezes, hands hovering over the keyboard. "i like you." That's what Kon wrote. Tim stares at it. "i like you." Ten seconds pass and it's still there. His stomach flutters.

 **superboy:** so what else are we gonna do when i visit?  
**Red Robin:** Everything.  
**superboy:** duh, but what first?  
**Red Robin:** I want to take you to the Batcave. It's this really cool comic shop by my house, one of the best in the nation.   
**superboy:** oooo comics  
**Red Robin:** And I'm taking you to see Wendy in 3D when the movie comes out at Studio 52  
**superboy:** i'm down for all of this.

Tim finds himself smiling, already imagining him and Kon doing all the things. Kon didn't have to know that Tim's Kon visiting Gotham fantasy had them holding hands.

-

Tim sighs as he watches his and Kon's chat. Neither have written anything in twenty minutes, but it's nice to know Kon is on the other side of a computer, doing the exact same thing.

 **Red Robin:**  I'm booooored.  
**superboy:**  same  
**superboy:**  wanna do something?  
**Red Robin:**  Like what?  
**superboy:**  hmm... cah?  
**Red Robin:**  Not enough people  
**superboy:**  i think bart and cassie are online  
**Red Robin:**  Nah, not in the mood.  
**superboy:**  i could stream some of me playing the wendy the werewolf stalker game  
**Red Robin:**  I guess.  
**superboy:**  okay :( wanna rp?  
**Red Robin:**  Not feeling it rn  
**superboy:**  work with me here, rob!  
**Red Robin:**  Idk what I'm in the mood for  
**superboy:**  we could skype  
**superboy:**  :)?  
**Red Robin:**  We're chatting already  
**superboy:**  video call!  
**superboy:**  or just voice  
**superboy:**  i just wanna hear your voice

Not for the first time, Tim feels guilty.

 **Red Robin:**  Maybe next time.

-

 **superboy:**  hey rob, can i ask you a question?  
**Red Robin:**  Ok  
**superboy:**  how come you never wanna skype with me  
**superboy:**  ?

The dreaded question. Tim takes a deep breath in and doesn't realize he's holding it. His mind frantically races to think of an excuse - any, really - that Kon might accept. Everything about their friendship was real except for this one thing, and it was too late to tell the truth.

 **superboy:**  you there?  
**Red Robin:**  I'm embarrassed. My voice....isn't what you think it is.  
**superboy:**  i don't care what you sound like  
**superboy:**  i bet you sound cute :)  
**superboy:**  is it because you have one of those thick gotham accents?

Tim actually laughs at that.

 **Red Robin:**  It's worse than what you hear on the Gotham Shore!  
**superboy:**  sexy  
**Red Robin:**  I'm serious!  
**superboy:**  me too ;)  
**Red Robin:**  Ok, but seriously, I learned how not to talk with my accent.  
**superboy:**  ooh, because of the thing?  
**Red Robin:**  Yeah. My family owns a business. I have to talk in public about it sometimes. The media doesn't like the accent.  
**superboy:**  i really wanna hear it now!!  
**Red Robin:**  Noooooo  
**superboy:**  :(  
**superboy:**  ok what if i call you and you just listen to me?  
**Red Robin:**  That sounds creepy  
**superboy:**  maybe you'll hear my voice and want to join me ;D  
**Red Robin:**  Or maybe I'll just be creeped out.  
**superboy:**  :(  
**superboy:**  so no skype?

Tim sighs and thinks, 'what the hell?'

 **Red Robin:**  Ok, fine. But you're doing all the talking.

-

Seventeen minutes later, Tim hears Kon's voice for the first time. Tim's chest clenches because Kon sounds so  _perfect_.

"Hey," Kon breathes. "Soooo... You're right, this is creepy."

 **Red Robin:**  100% creepy!

Kon laughs and it's so beautiful that Tim laughs back. Kon doesn't know Tim is laughing, but Tim decides that their mixed laughter is his new favorite sound.

"See, this is why you should get on call with me!"

 **Red Robin:**  Not a chance.

"Well then you're just going to have to deal with creepy!" Tim hears Kon shuffling around, but it settles. "What should I talk about?"

 **Red Robin:**  Do the accent challenge

"Oh man!" Kon laughs gently. "Okay, but you  _cannot_  laugh at me."

As it turns out, Tim does laugh at the way Kon pronounces 'get' as 'git' and when Kon drops in a y'all. His drawl isn't as pronounced as it is in the south, but Tim can tell Kon's a farm boy through and through by the way he speaks.

 **Red Robin:**  Nice accent. I guess you really are a farm boy, Smallville.

"Oh yeah?  _You like that?_ " Kon says slowly, elongating all his vowels. Tim feels a shiver run up his spine.

 **Red Robin:**  Fuck  
**Red Robin:**  Yes

" _Come and get you some_ ," Kon whispers to him.

"I'm trying," Tim whispers back.

-

"You sound so beautiful," Tim says. He forgets Kon can't hear him.

-

 _cloneboy_ is online

 **cloneboy:** ROBIN HELP ME  
**Red Robin:** Who is this?  
**cloneboy:** IT'S ME  
**cloneboy:** KON  
**cloneboy:** SUPERBOY  
**Red Robin:** Ohh  
**Red Robin:** Why are you using a different account?  
**cloneboy:** THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO TELL YOU!!!  
**cloneboy:** somebody hacked my accoutn  
**Red Robin:** I thought so. Your main account banned me.  
**cloneboy:** i would never ban you!!!  
**Red Robin:** Good to know.  
**Red Robin:** How are you going to get your account back?  
**cloneboy:** ughhhhhh idk  
**cloneboy:** i reported it already. this is just super upsetting  
**Red Robin:** Ha. Super.  
**cloneboy:** i hate you so much right now  
**Red Robin:** Whatever, clone boy. ;)  
**Red Robin:** You couldn't find a better screenname?  
**cloneboy:** i will ban you from this account and make bart my new best friend  
**Red Robin:** You wouldn't.  
**cloneboy:** wanna bet?

_-_

_Boy Wonder_  is online

 **Boy Wonder:** I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU SERIOUSLY BANNED ME  
**cloneboy:** HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA  
**Boy Wonder:** :(  
**cloneboy:** you're still my best friend

_-_

"No texting at the table, Tim," Bruce warns. Bruce sets down his silverware and everybody knows that means he's going into Dad Mode.

 **Red Robin:** Crap. B found out i'm online gotta go  
**superboy:** RED ROBIN IS BLASTING OFF AGAAAAAAAIN

 _Red Robin_  is offline

"Um, what were we talking about?" Tim asks, looking up from where he had his chat open on his phone. He shouldn't have it out at the dinner table anyway, but Kon had been sharing his idea for a Wendy the Werewolf Stalker superhero AU, and it was too good to pass up.

"We were talking about you actually," Dick says, grinning. "When do we get to meet your online girlfriend?"

"Uh- I don't know?"

"So you  _do_  have an online girlfriend!" Dick says cheerfully, whipping his face to grin at Jason. He has spinach stuck in his teeth but Tim's too distracted by the idea of his non-existent online girlfriend to tell him. "I told you so! He spends all day on the computer and even blows us off for it. There's way more than just a friendship there."

"I have been telling you that the adopted nuisance has been acting strangely for weeks," Damian cuts in, arming his fork like a weapon. "It seems that Timothy will not die tragically and pitifully alone. He has finally found a suitable mate as pathetic as he is."

Tim's face flushes and he feels his chest squeeze. He can't even focus on Damian's insults.  _Girlfriend?_ His family thought Kon was his girlfriend? Even if it wasn't true, it made his heart feel a little lighter and warmer than usual.

-

"I know your girlfriend is a boyfriend," Jason says, in an oddly neutral voice, after dinner. They stare at each other for awhile before Jason shoulders past him toward his room.

_-_

Jason's encounter puts Tim on edge for the rest of the week. If Jason knows, then Dick probably knows and then Bruce will know and then Damian will know and they'll all hate him and the press will find out and maybe he'll be disowned then he'll--  _Breathe_.

He hasn't told anybody his sexuality, not out loud or online. It still feels- new. He's been trying out different labels and thinks he knows what feels right, definitely knows what he likes and doesn't like, but it's... It's a big thing to admit, even to himself.

He knocks on Dick's door. "Can I come in?"

Dick looks absolutely thrilled to see Tim and he pats the empty next to him on the bed. "Come in, come in! What's up?"

"I... Um." Tim's eyes sting with the prickle of tears. 

Immediately Dick launches into Older Brother mode, scooping Tim into a tight hug and pushing the hair out of his face. "Tim, what's wrong?"

"I- need-" Tim doesn't know what he needs, but Dick petting his hair helps a little bit. He shakes in Dick's hold and lets Dick rock him side-to-side. The tears haven't slid out yet but he grabs at Dick's shirt. 

Dick coos at him until he settles down, encouraging him to breathe. "Do you want me to close the door?"

Tim shakes his head. "No. I- Need to tell you something." 

"Anything," Dick says, and Tim knows he means it. Tim takes a deep breath and pulls away from Dick so he can look him in the eye.

"My online friend isn't a girl." Dick's eyebrows knit together, as if that wasn't the reaction he expected. Tim tries again. "Kon is a boy."

" _Oh,_ " Dick breathes. Tim hears a combination of many things in that single syllable: relief, pride, joy. A second later he pulls Tim back into a hug. "That's what this is about? You nearly gave me a heart attack! You know I don't care who you love. It doesn't matter to me if you're gay."

"I'm not-" Tim swallows. Breathes. "I'm not gay. I'm... I'm bi."

It's the first time he's said it out loud and it still doesn't feel real.

"That's great, Timmy!" Dick assures gently, squeezing him. "I'm so happy you shared this with me."

"You're not- disappointed?" Tim thought- Surely Dick would- It's not like they're  _actually_  brothers. (You're just as much his brother no matter who your parents are, his brain supplies.)

"Why would I be disappointed?" Dick tilts Tim's chin up so he can see his eyes. "You know, some people never figure out who they are. I'm so proud of you, little brother! You know that?"

Tim breathes in Dick's arms for awhile, feeling the tension melt out of him until his limbs feel like jello.

"I'm glad you're happy with your online boyfriend." Dick squeezes Tim's hand. "And everybody else will be happy for you too. Do you want me to be there when you tell Bruce?" Tim nods. "Okay. Whenever you're ready, I'll be there."

Tim launches at Dick and tackles him into a hug.

-

It's not until later that he realizes he didn't bother to correct that Kon wasn't his boyfriend.

-

Coming out to Bruce and Damian are easier after that, but Tim still waits three months to tell them.

_-_

_Red Robin_  is online

 **superboy:**  ROB  
**Red Robin:**  KON  
**superboy:**  DON'T JOKE REAL TALK  
**Red Robin:**  Okayyyy??  
**superboy:**  I CAN VISIT YOU

Tim holds his breath, staring at the words on his screen in disbelief. He doesn't know what to say back, but he doesn't need to when Kon starts furiously typing back at him again.

 **superboy:**  I'M GONNA BE IN METROPOLIS  
**superboy:**  IT'S JUST A TRAIN RIDE AWAY  
**superboy:**  WE COULD MEET UP

Tim sighs, conflicted. Obviously, he wants to meet Kon, but meeting up means that Kon will find out that Tim isn't who Kon thinks he is.

 **superboy:**  rob.....??  
**Red Robin:**  I'm here.  
**superboy:**  sooooo...  
**superboy:**  do you not wanna meet up?  
**Red Robin:**  I just don't think it's that great of an idea.  
**superboy:**  oh  
**superboy:**  ok, i just wanna meet you  
**superboy:**  in person  
**Red Robin:**  Same. I just don't think now is the right time.  
**superboy:**  i guess so

They don't talk about why Robin said no.

-

They don't talk about why Robin decides they shouldn't meet up the next two times it happens either.

-

 **Red Robin:** You should give me your phone number.  
**superboy:** 0/10 for your cheesy pickup line effort  
**Red Robin:** You want me to give you a cheesy pickup line?  
**superboy:** yeah, woo me ;)  
**Red Robin:** I lost my phone number, could I have yours?  
**superboy:** 2/10 everybody knows that one  
**Red Robin:** Hmmm  
**Red Robin:** I've looked everywhere in the phone book for your number. Mind helping me out?   
**superboy:** 7/10 but you could bump it to a solid 8 if you throw in a winky  
**Red Robin:** ;)?  
**Red Robin:** ;) ;) ;) ;)  
**Red Robin:** ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;)  
**superboy:** OK NO STOP  
**superboy:** fine you can have my number but why do you want it?  
**Red Robin:** Thought it would be nice to text you when I can't get online. My family is going on vacation next week.  
**superboy:** oooh okay  
**superboy:** have fun  
**superboy:** where to?

Tim types nonsense about the trip to Toronto Bruce has planned for them all for spring break and also sends Kon his number. Seconds later, his phone pings.

 **Unknown:** It's-a me, Kon-rio! 

Tim rolls his eyes at the lame message and laughs. 

 **Me:** Does that make me peach?

He saves Kon's number and sees Kon responded in the chat.

 **superboy:** hm i think you're more of a daisy  
**superboy:** or bowser  
**Red Robin:** Wow! Feeling the love!  
**superboy:** don't worry, i'll still save you from the castle, princess

The sick feeling that knots in Tim's stomach whenever Kon calls him a girl starts to take over. His fingers shake as he types out a quick message.

 **Red Robin:** Not a princess, definitely a prince.

It takes awhile for Kon to respond, and Tim spends all three of those minutes wondering if he's screwed things up with Kon forever.

 **superboy:** kinky  
**superboy:** i like it  
**superboy:** alright, my prince~

-

 _Red Robin_  is online

 **superboy:** ROB!!!  
**superboy:** ARE YOU OK YOU DISAPPEARED   
**superboy:** I'VE BEEN WORRIED ALL DAY

Kon's reaction is both relieving and overwhelming. After the day Tim's had, he doesn't much feel like explaining. He had to leave the chat immediately when he found out his biological dad had died. He hadn't known him, but- He wasn't sure how to explain it himself, even.

 **Red Robin:** I'm fine. Something came up.  
**Red Robin:** I don't feel like talking about it.  
**superboy:** ok  
**superboy:** can i do anything for you?  
**Red Robin:** Could you call me on Skype and talk to me for a little bit? Listening to your voice might help.  
**superboy:** yeah, whatever you need!  
**superboy:** is it okay if i read the catcher in the rye out loud? i'm supposed to be reading it for english tomorrow.  
**Red Robin:** Yeah, that's fine.

-

 **Red Robin:** Thanks for yesterday. It helped.  
**superboy:** anytime :) 

-

 **Red Robin:**  Sooooooo...  
**superboy:**  what's up  
**Red Robin:**  I've heard what you sound like and I have your number, but I don't know what you look like.  
**superboy:**  guess you'll have to wait until we meet in person to find out ;)  
**Red Robin:**  :(  
**superboy:**  i'll show you mine if you show me yours?  
**Red Robin:**  Kon...  
**superboy:**  we've known each other long enough that you can trust me, right?  
**Red Robin:**  It's not that.  
**superboy:**  ok i get it  
**Red Robin:**  Please don't be mad?  
**superboy:**  i'm not  
**Red Robin:**  I'm glad. :)  
**superboy:**  :)  
**Red Robin:**  But seriously. You should send me a selfie  
**superboy:**  you're so thirsty  
**Red Robin:**  The thirst is real ;)  
**superboy:**  lol ok i'm texting you one rn

Not a minute later, Tim's phone pings sweetly at him. "Oh my  _god_ ," he whispers as the photo pops up in his texts. The first thing Tim notices is the smile: radiant, perfect, and stunning. The next thing he notices are Kon's forearms and the flannel rolled up to his elbows. Kon's button-up is loosened three buttons from the top, with a black shirt beneath and a sliver of chest hair peeking out. The boy in the picture is sweating lightly and given the sun and crops in the background, Tim assumes some heavy labor was involved.

 **Red Robin:**  KON.  
**superboy:**  yeah?  
**Red Robin:**  No way this is you.  
**superboy:**  it's me!!!  
**Red Robin:**  This guy is too hot to be you!!!  
**superboy:**  you think i'm hot? ;)  
**superboy:**  but seriously, that's me  
**superboy:** took it earlier today after pulling up some weeds  
**Red Robin:**  KON  
**superboy:**  what!!!!  
**Red Robin:**  I can't believe this  
**superboy:**  lol  
**Red Robin:**  I'm just...  
**Red Robin:**  Kon.  
**Red Robin:**  Wow.  
**superboy:**  did i break you? ;)

Tim sits back in his chair, staring blankly at the chat. His nerdy, dorky, sexy-sounding best friend and pseudo-internet boyfriend is hot. Insanely hot. He wouldn't mind if Kon broke some other things... Namely, Tim's ass.

-

Of course Kon knows just how hot he is.

He makes a point of sending Tim no less than three half-naked selfies a day. At least one always shows Kon posing with an animal. Screw hot guys posing with puppies and kittens, Tim's new kink is hot guys posing with cows and chickens.

-

 **Red Robin:** I have a confession.  
**superboy:** you have a technology fetish  
**Red Robin:** Yes, but that's not it.  
**superboy:** lol ok. what's your confession?  
**Red Robin:**  I thought you'd look like a geek.

Immediately Tim's phone buzzes and he pulls it out. There's a picture of Kon smiling up at the camera, wearing a pair of chunky glasses Tim had never seen Kon wearing before. The caption says, "Just for you, my Robin."

 **Red Robin:**  You're KILLING me!!  
**superboy:** they're real  
**superboy:** i have to wear them when i read  
**Red Robin:** Oh my god, do NOT tell me these things or I will fall in love!!  
**superboy:** go ahead :)

-

Tim's cell beeps in the middle of lunch. Neither his phone alerting him to a text nor lunch would be a problem individually, but it's most definitely a problem when Tim's having lunch with his brothers and chokes on a french fry at the text.

Dick smiles wryly at Tim, as if he knows Tim's secret. "Something funny?"

"Timothy is texting his  _boyfriend_ ," Damian says snidely, and Tim hates ever telling his brothers about Kon.

"He's not my boyfriend," Tim insists. Bad move - Jason takes his moment of vulnerability to steal his phone. Jason wolf-whistles loudly like the asshole he is.

"Dickie, have you  _seen_  this guy?" Dick practically jumps over the table. "Do biceps  _get_  that big? How does this guy exist?"

"Oh my god!" Dick squeaks. Tim groans and feels the need to bang his head against the table. "You're sexting!?"

"It's not  _sexting!_ " Tim squeaks, snatching back his phone.

"Then what exactly are you doing with Clone Boy?" Jason asks while leering and wagging his eyebrows up and down. Suddenly Tim regrets ever saving Kon's contact information as "My Clone Boy". Actually, he regrets ever existing. "What's up with that name anyway?"

"It's an inside joke. And I never send photos of myself back," Tim insists. "He just- Okay, he has a really nice body and he likes showing it off."

"Stop looking at it!" Dick practically yells, which is the only reason Tim realizes he's  _still_  staring at Kon's...impressive six-pack.

"Relax, it's just a shirtless selfie," Jason assures.

"Tim's too young for that! This guy is corrupting our baby brother! It's not alright!" Dick proclaims and just like that, Tim's brothers begin to plot Kon's demise and a safety plan for Tim's virginity. (The demon brat is  _far_  too interested in the demise part.) As unhappy as Tim is about that second bit, he takes the opportunity to shoot Kon a few texts.

 **Me:**  My bros saw the pic  
**Me:**  Nice btw  
**My Clone Boy:**  Lol  
**My Clone Boy:**  Introducing me to ur fam already? Damn  
**Me:**  ;-)

Tim looks at the selfie one last time before pocketing it.

...Damn, Tim  _really_  wanted to lick his abs. Sometimes, he wondered if he was the one getting catfished.

-

 **Red Robin:**  So I think I'm being catfished.  
**superboy:**  by me???  
**Red Robin:**  Yeah  
**superboy:**  WHY???  
**Red Robin:**  I mean. You live in Smallville, your voice is great, and your selfies are...  
**superboy:**  my selfies are what? ;))  
**Red Robin:**  I like them.  
**superboy:**  mmhmm  
**Red Robin:**  It's hard to believe you exist.  
**superboy:**  well i do!!!  
**Red Robin:**  Yeah...  
**superboy:**  want me to prove it?  
**Red Robin:**  How?  
**superboy:**  i'll video call you :)  
**Red Robin:**  Ok

And that is how Tim ends up staring at the image of Kon smiling and waving at him, saying hi in that flattened Southern drawl Tim knows by heart now. Tim's heart stops.

It finally hits him that Kon is real.

Kon is real and Tim might be a little bit in love with him.

-

 **Red Robin:**  Gotta go. Need to wake up at 6 tomorrow  
**superboy:**  ewww  
**superboy:**  night, rob! sweet dreams!  
**Red Robin:**  :)  
**Red Robin:**  Good night, Kon.

 _Red Robin_  is offline

 **superboy:**  hey i know you're asleep but i've been meaning to tell you this for awhile  
**superboy:**  you're always telling me i'm hot but i bet you're cute too  
**superboy:**  i can't wait to see you  
**superboy:**  i want to hold you and feel you against me  
**superboy:**  i want to hear your voice when you laugh  
**superboy:**  i don't care if you're famous or don't like your voice, i like you, rob  
**superboy:**  i want to meet you

 _superboy_  is offline  
_superboy_  is online  
_Red Robin_  is online

 **Red Robin:**  I love you too, clone boy :)  
**superboy:**  :)

-

 **Red Robin:**  Can I tell you a secret?  
**superboy:**  yes!!!  
**Red Robin:**  I'm bi  
**superboy:**  oh  
**superboy:**  hot  
**Red Robin:**  :/  
**superboy:**  i mean, it's cool with me  
**superboy:**  is that it??

This is his chance. He could tell Kon now. He could tell Kon that he's been lying for the past six months. He could tell Kon that he's not a girl and that they'll probably have to face terrible judgement by their family and society. He could tell Kon that he's a boy and probably hurl Kon into a sexual identity crisis. He could-- No, he can't.

 **Red Robin:**  Yeah. What about you?  
**superboy:**  hmmm  
**superboy:**  i haven't thought about it, i guess???  
**Red Robin:**  So you only like girls?  
**superboy:**  i didn't say that

Tim's heart skips a beat. Maybe there was a chance...?

 **Red Robin:**  So you DO like boys  
**superboy:**  i definitely like girls more...

And just like that, his heart sinks.

 **Red Robin:**  Oh  
**superboy:**  why?  
**superboy:**  into a threesome?  
**superboy:**  bc i'd def be down for a threesome scene with bart  
**Red Robin:**  Gross.  
**superboy:**  wow ok  
**Red Robin:**  No, I mean. It's BART. I KNOW Bart.  
**superboy:**  you don't think bart's kinda hot?  
**Red Robin:**  He is, it's just...  
**superboy:**  just...?  
**Red Robin:**  It's weird to think of him like that.  
**Red Robin:**  He's a friend  
**superboy:**  idk  
**superboy:**  i like falling in love with my best friend  
**Red Robin:**  Was Cassie your best friend?  
**superboy:**  yeah, for awhile  
**Red Robin:**  Who's your best friend now?  
**superboy:**  you

-

"Oh my god,  _Tim_! He is so into you! You  _have_  to tell him!" Steph bursts when Tim shows her his latest chat log. She's been the only one he's ever trusted when it comes to Kon. Maybe it's because she's also bi and started dating a girl, but Tim feel like Steph understands in a way his brothers could never understand.

"I can't," he sighs gloomily. He starts watching his hands fidget. "It's too hard now. He thinks- I'm not-"

Steph crosses her arms, watching him with a pitying look. "And that's  _why_  you have to tell him." 

-

 _Red Robin_ is online

 **superboy:** so we're pretty much dating...  
**Red Robin:** Wow. Way to jump into that one.  
**superboy:** do you not want to date me?  
**Red Robin:** I want to.  
**Red Robin:** Are you sure?  
**superboy:** Of course I want to date you!!  
**superboy:** I mean, I've already told you I love you. Of course I want to date you!!

Tim smiles at the uncharacteristic capitalization. It's a small gesture, but he likes to think he can feel how much Kon loves him from that. His heart already clenches any time he thought about Kon, but this takes it to an entirely new level. 

 **Red Robin:** Ok, boyfriend.  
**superboy:** Ok, girlfriend.  
**Red Robin:**  Ok, new rule. No gf pet names.  
**superboy:** you don't like them? :(  
**superboy:** and i was looking forward to calling you sweetheart and pumpkin and honey...  
**Red Robin:** Those are ok.  
**Red Robin:** I like partner.  
**Red Robin:** And comrade.  
**superboy:** lol ok, commie  
**Red Robin:** What words do you like?  
**superboy:** anything is fine.  
**Red Robin:** So if I call you babygirl, you'd be okay?  
**superboy:** as long as you call me SUPERbabygirl  
**Red Robin:** Ok, superbabygirl  
**superboy:** WAIT NO ROB DON'T DO THAT  
**superboy:** OH MY GOD STOP SHARING THAT IN THE GC

-

"There is no escape," Tim says miserably over lunch. He crosses his arms on the table and rests his arms in them. 

"Tim. I swear to god," Steph vows, wielding her plastic spoon like a weapon, "if you don't tell him, I'll make a sock account and tell him for you."

Tim's head snaps up, his eyes peel open, and his voice cracks. "Don't do that.  _Please_ don't do that."

-

It shouldn't be a surprise when the sexy roleplay bleeds into their daily chat.

 **superboy:** i wanna kiss you up your neck and run my hand up and down your stomach like our werewolf does to Wendy  
**Red Robin:** I'd like that.   
**superboy:** yeah?  
**Red Robin:** Yeah.  
**Red Robin:** And then what? ;)  
**superboy:** you suck  
**Red Robin:** Actually, I swallow.  
**superboy:** holy shit  
**Red Robin:** ;)  
**superboy:** :Q____  
**Red Robin:** But really, and then what?  
**superboy:** well...  
**superboy:** i'd kiss down your tits, suck your nipples and bite them

Tim hates this. He hates that Kon imagines a different body when he thinks of Red Robin. It makes Tim's blood feel cold and his head feel light.

 **Red Robin:** Not my chest.   
**Red Robin:** And don't touch me below the waist.  
**Red Robin:** But keep going.  
**superboy:** oookaaaay...??  
**superboy:** i'd suck on the spot beneath your ear until you beg for me.

Tim licks his lips and unzips his pants. Playing Wendy and the werewolf is nice, but not as nice as Kon's last few replies. 

-

 **Red Robin:** How do you see me when you touch yourself?  
**superboy:** WHAT  
**Red Robin:** Come on. You can't tell me you haven't touched yourself while thinking about me.  
**superboy:** WHERE DID THIS COME FROM  
**Red Robin:** I just want to know.

In truth, Tim is leaking cold sweat in his seat. He's always assumed Kon had touched himself, just like he did with Kon, but he never asked before. 

 **Red Robin:** You do it, right?  
**superboy:** yeah i do it  
**Red Robin:** So tell me! **  
superboy:**  don't kill me  
**Red Robin:** What, do you think of me as super ugly or something?  
**Red Robin:** Babe, pls **  
Red Robin:** Tell meeeeee  
**superboy:** just promise  
**Red Robin:**???  
**Red Robin:** Ok, I promise.  
**Red Robin:** So......???  
**superboy:** your icon  
**Red Robin:** My icon is a bird  
**superboy:** yeah  
**Red Robin:** Kon.  
**superboy:** i said don't kill me  
**superboy:** you promised  
**Red Robin:** What does that even mean????  
**superboy:** I DON'T KNOW  
**superboy:** I JUST  
**superboy:** i'm sorry  
**Red Robin:** I'm still confused. What the fuck, Kon??

 _superboy_  is offline  
_superboy_  is online

 **Red Robin:** Are you ok, there?  
**superboy:** idk. i guess?? blonde hair, big tits, nice ass.

Tim's heart sinks. He didn't expect anything different but expecting and reading it are two different things.

 **Red Robin:** 1/3  
**superboy:** OK IT'S NOT LIKE THAT  
**superboy:** it's different every time  
**superboy:** y'know. since i don't know what you look like.  
**Red Robin:** Okay, what does that have to do with birds???  
**superboy:** i like to think of how you are right now.  
**superboy:** online.  
**superboy:** bodyless??? idk i think of your icon  
**Red Robin:** Hmm...  
**superboy:** see!!! this is why you should send me a pic!!  
**Red Robin:** Do you ever think of me as a guy?  
**superboy:** what????  
**Red Robin:** Never mind  
**superboy:** do you.....want me to??  
**Red Robin:** It might be nice. Change things up.  
**superboy:** um  
**superboy:** ok, i guess??  
**Red Robin:** Is it weird?   
**superboy:** it's a little weird...  
**superboy:** i'll do it for you  
**Red Robin:** :)

-

" _Tim._ " Steph sounds mad. Tim knows she's mad. "That is  _not_  telling him!"

-

 _superboy_  is online

 **superboy:**  rob!!!  
**Red Robin:**  Hey, boo  
**superboy:**  what's up, boo?  
**superboy:**  :DDD  
**Red Robin:**  Tired  
**superboy:**  ???  
**superboy:**  you ok?  
**superboy:**  did you wait up for me? it's late over there  
**Red Robin:**  Sorry, long day  
**Red Robin:**  And I don't mind- it's worth it to get to talk to you for a bit c:  
**superboy:**  im sorry baby :(  
**superboy:**  if i was there, i'd give you a back rub  
**superboy:** and maybe something else~  
**Red Robin:**  KON  
**superboy:**  ;D  
**superboy:**  ilu

Tim took a deep breath as that three-letter acronym popped up on his chat. He frowns, wondering if Superboy would still mean it if he knew.

 **Red Robin:**  ilu too :)

-

"So you're dating him for real now?"

"Yeah, he's my boyfriend!" Tim's stomach swoops every time he says it. He still can't believe he's dating his best friend. 

"Is it really a relationship if it's online?" Jason says, watching over Tim's shoulders. Ever since Tim announced to the family that he and Kon were officially boyfriends, he didn't care who watched what he was doing. More times than not, it bothered his family more than it bothered him when they read what he typed. Damian had actually gagged once and said both he and Kon were so stupid that they deserved each other.

"It's a real relationship," Tim huffs.

"I'm just saying, you don't know anything about him. Maybe he's not even real."

"He's real. Trust me."

"Uh huh."

Tim stops typing, swiveling around to face Jason. Jason's not the first one to underestimate his relationship, but it still hurts when it comes from family. Tim can deal with people at school gossiping about him and how it won't last, that he's still "on the market" even though he isn't, but it sucks when it's his family spewing that out. He wishes he could explain it to Jason, but he can't. He gave Kon an address to a P.O. box and they've swapped letters, mixtapes, birthday gifts. Kon stays up at night and talks to Tim about everything and nothing. He's there when Tim feels like crying and when Tim wants to gloat. They get in fights and make up and they even have some pretty awesome cyber sex. He knows little things about Kon, like how he lives in Smallville with his grandparents but his dad is based out in Metropolis. He knows everything from Kon's favorite episode of Wendy the Werewolf Stalker to Kon's favorite piece of clothing (a leather jacket with an S on the back, like the Superloser he is). He knows Kon likes to sit outside at restaurants when it's sunny, even when it's unbearably hot and sweaty and that he doesn't touch pinball machines after he broke one in second grade. (It's still a traumatic event for him, Kon claims.) Everything Tim needs to feel emotionally stable and happy, he gets. 

It sucks because Tim knows Kon is real, but Kon has no idea if Red Robin is real. That's a little detail Tim  _doesn't_  share with the family.

Something seems to please Jason because he nods and stalks away. "Hey Dickie! Demon Spawn! Get over here! We have to plan how we're gonna kill Tim's boyfriend if he dumps him!"

-

 _superboy_  is online

 **superboy:** baby  
**Red Robin:** Hey, sugar. What's up?  
**superboy:** I know you're super private and all that but will you ever want to meet up?

Tim hadn't expected such a direct question. His reply is immediate, though his anxiety begins to rise.

 **Red Robin:** Yes.  
**Red Robin:** Some day. Idk when but yes.  
**superboy:** listen  
**superboy:** my dad is going to gotham for a story. he said i could come for the weekend.  
**Red Robin:** You want to meet up when you come  
**superboy:** yes  
**Red Robin:** Are you going to be mad if I say no?  
**superboy:** at this point? a little  
**superboy:** i'm your boyfriend not your boytoy  
**superboy:** i feel like you're jerking me around.  
**Red Robin:** I'm not.  
**superboy:** okay then, let's do it.  
**Red Robin:** Stop pressuring me.  
**superboy:** i'm just frustrated  
**superboy:** you don't know how badly i want to do this  
**Red Robin:** I DO know.  
**superboy:** then why do you keep saying no??  
**Red Robin:** I've told you why.  
**superboy:** ok just think about it. please.  
**Red Robin:** Fine.

-

 _Red Robin_  is online

 **superboy:** did you think about it??  
**Red Robin:** Yeah.  
**superboy:** ok and??  
**Red Robin:** Let's do it  
**superboy:** YES  
**superboy:** YESYESYESYESYESYESYSEYSYESYESYESYEYES  
**Red Robin:** I'm excited too  
**Red Robin:** lol it looks like you're saying EYES over and over  
**superboy:** i love you, robin. i can't wait to go on a real date with you!!!  
**superboy:** no changing subjects rn  
**superboy:** i am going to kiss you so hard whne i see you  
**Red Robin:** :)  
**superboy:**  omg i cn't beleive we're gonna do this  
**Red Robin:** We're gonna do something alright...

-

Tim never meant for it to get this bad. For one, he never intended to fall in love with a guy online and halfway across the country. Really, it was like something out of a bad romcom or a cheesy fan fic. But how could he not fall in love with Superboy? He was funny and talked passionately about his favorite tv show and Tim nearly had a heart attack from how hot he was the first time Kon sent him a selfie.

But it was eight months into chatting with Superboy on a daily basis and Tim still hadn't told Superboy his name or, arguably more importantly, his gender. Kon had shared his voice, his face, his laughter, his smiles with Tim freely and without asking for anything in return. But now, it's all falling apart. Kon is coming to Gotham and he's going to see Tim for what he is - or rather, for  _what_  he isn't. 

Tim looks down at his body, wishing for the first time it looked like something else.

-

"Steph," Tim begs. Literally. He's on his knees, tugging at her dress. "You have to help me!"

She bats him away, not even surprised. "What happened now?"

The way Tim's face holds completely still, she nearly expects him to say he's dying or he's constipated. Either way, it isn't good. "He's coming to Gotham." 

"That's a good thing, isn't it?" Steph says, swallowing back a laugh. "So you need me because...?"

He doesn't get up from his spot on the floor because he  _knows_ Steph isn't going to like this part. "I need you to pretend to be me."

"No."

"I can't do this," he insists, grovelling all the more.

"You have to."

"Steph, please-"

She bats his hands away, face bent furiously. "No. Cass would kill me if she heard about this."

"I know but please, please, please. I can't break up with him. He's going to see me and-"

"-be an understanding boyfriend like you know he is," she finishes for him. Steph sighs, running a hand through her hair. "Look, Tim. If he breaks up with you over this, then you know he's not the one. And if he is the one, then he's going to find out sooner or later anyway."

" _Steph_ ," Tim says desperately, breaking out the puppy eyes. "Please."

-

 **superboy:** are you excited??  
**Red Robin:** Yes, but I'm scared too.  
**superboy:** i really, really want to do this but we don't have to  
**superboy:** if it's too much  
**Red Robin:** No, let's do it.

Tim stares at his screen and prays for a miracle.

-

"This isn't going to work," Steph says through the ear piece Tim wedged in her ear. She fiddles with the pin Tim secured to her shirt earlier today. "I'm telling you, he's going to know."

_'It's going to work! And stop playing with the pin. It's messing up the visuals.'_

Steph sighs. She doesn't even want to know how Tim found a pin with a camera in it. "What are you going to do after today? He's here for two more days."

 _'I'll cancel the rest of the days, say I don't want to ruin how perfect today was.'_ That part is true, at least. It's the day he 'meets' Kon and nothing could ruin it.

"That's a terrible plan." Looking at the clock on her phone, Steph sighs. "He's late."

_'He'll be there.'_

"Sure hope so... What if he tries to kiss me?"

_'He will.'_

"My girlfriend isn't going to like this... I'm not kissing him," Steph grumbles. The line is quiet for a long time and Steph gasps when she figures it out. "You're happy about that, aren't you? That's why you asked  _me!_  You don't want anybody to kiss him!"

_'He **is**  my boyfriend, you know.'_

"Yeah, well you should be here to kiss your boyfriend your own damn self." 

A few minutes later, Tim's phone, now in Steph's bag, rings. He disabled the lock code for her, so she answers easily and rests it against the ear with the microphone. "Hello?"

"Hey- Rob, wow!  _Your voice!_ " On the other side of the line, Tim grits his teeth. It's not Steph's fault, but that's a first that doesn't belong to him now. First time hearing "Robin's" voice. "Okay, so I think I'm lost? I'm on Main and 4th..."

"Yeah, I'm here too," Steph says, scanning the crowd.  _'Two o' clock,'_ Tim says seconds of watching Steph's vision. She dutifully follows his directions and spots Kon. "Oh, I see you! I'm waving!"

On the screen Tim's watching - shaking only slightly from Steph's waving - he sees Kon's face light up and start running closer. He feels sick to his stomach.

"I'm crossing the street now! See you soon!" Kon pipes cheerfully before hanging up. The crosswalk is at a stop, and Tim laughs as he sees Kon jump up and down in place while he waits. Steph may not notice it, but Tim has seen Kon mouth 'comeoncomeoncomeon' enought times on Skype to recognize it now.

" _Wow_ ," Steph says, pocketing Tim's phone. "He's even prettier in person."

 _'I'm so jealous of you right now,'_ Tim admits. It's not Steph's fault, he reminds himself again, even though he's starting to become agitated. 

"Don't be jealous," she says, as Kon crosses the street. "You had the chance to do this yourself."

" _Robin_ ," Kon breathes, when he's finally standing in front of her. He's wearing a white, non-flannel button-up (still rolled up to his elbows) and dark wash denim jeans. He has cowboys boots peeking out of the jeans and a million-dollar smile. "I knew you'd be pretty but-  _Wow_. You didn't tell me you were a babe!"

Tim blushes for Steph, though he's pretty sure she's blushing as well. The view of the camera is obscured by her forearm for a bit, so Tim knows she's doing that thing she does when she's shy, the thing where she brushes hair out of her face. Kon's coming closer and closer until Kon's face is out of view and Tim sees nothing but his chest. He expected Kon to try and kiss Robin, but not first thing.

"Uhh, let's save that for the end of the date," Steph says quickly. Tim sees her hands pressed up against Kon's chest. He also sees her squeeze his pecs. (He can't blame her.) "You ready...?" ' _Superboy,'_  Tim reminds.  _'Call him Superboy right now.'_   "Er, Superboy?"

"I was born ready," Kon says, reaching out for her hand. Tim grinds his teeth more. "So, what's the plan?"

"Movies and lunch?" Steph says at the same time Tim says,  _'Comics and_   _arcade.'_

"Uh, sure... Lunch first." Steph angles the camera closer toward Kon and sees Kon looking confused. He looks directly at the camera and Tim's heartbeat races. It takes him a second to realize he's just looking at the pin. "Where do you want to go?"

" _Um_ ," she says too loudly, obviously a cue for Tim. He sighs, telling her,  _'8-Bit on 5th. It's a block over. Promised I'd take him there.'_ "The arcade place? Really? That's kind of childish."

"What?" Kon says, looking confused. At least he has a quick recovery. "Oh, you remembered that? I totally want to go there!" Tim thanks technology for being advanced enough to capture Kon's blushing in its full glory. "Sorry, it's uh- childish."

"Oh. Wow. Your hands are very...grippy. Nice, firm grip. Yup." Tim smacks his forehead with a palm. He'd asked Steph to rely details but that was- something.  _'Please stop talking about Kon's hands.'_ "Such biiig hands."

"Oh... Um, thank you?" Kon says, smiling awkwardly. 

-

"So," Steph says. "Kon. Here we are."

"Here we are," Kon repeats, resting his elbows on the table and leaning over. He's smiling from ear-to-ear and hasn't stopped smiling. Ordering was simple enough, and Tim practically swooned when Kon ordered pineapple pizza for himself. It was a small detail from long ago, but an endearing fight that still cropped up from time-to-time. Obviously Kon planned on sharing his pizza with Steph- er, Robin. "So. It's nice to finally meet you. Do I get to know your name now?"

 _' **Abort** ,' _Tim demands so quickly and loudly that Steph squeaks. The camera jostles and the microphone lets out a large thwap as if she swat her ear.

Kon reaches over the table and grabs Steph's other hand. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Steph says neutrally. "Just- Sudden ear pain. - Oh, and look at that the waitress is here. Waitress? Waitress! Can I have another Coke?"

Tim feels slightly guilty as he sees Kon's smile fall, but he knows things have to be like this. What he doesn't see is Kon's eyes narrowing on Steph's mostly full Coke.  _'Nice save, Steph. Just let him keep calling you Robin_. _'_

"Just call me Robin," Steph answers. "It's what we've been doing so far, why stop now?"

"Uh huh..." Tim feels the impending interrogation coming on but before he can get in the first question, the waitress slides Steph another Coke and places their pizza on the table.

"Time to eat!" Steph announces, grabbing a plate and a fork. Kon takes the plate away from her, serving the pizza himself. Tim knows just how much it annoys Steph when people do things like that, but he hopes she keeps her cool.  _'Calm down, Steph.'_

Steph takes the plate and starts picking off the pineapples as Kon starts talking about the new tractor Pa bought and how he wants to take Robin riding on it some day. Tim's so enamored by the fantasy of domestic rural life with Kon and how  _good_  Kon's accent sounds that he doesn't notice Steph's first - well, first  _noticeable_  - slip up. 

"I thought you liked pineapple on your pizza," Kon says, watching her pizza seriously. "That's the only reason I ordered this stupid pizza."

Steph stopped mid-motion, but even that was less awkward than the way she piles the pineapples back onto the pizza. "...Yup! Sure do love pineapple! Pineapple, pineapple, pineapple..."

 _'Sweet like him. Tell him it's sweet,'_ Tim cries,  _'sweet like him.'_

"Sweet like him- er, you," Steph says. Kon's face only becomes more confused. She stuffs her face with pizza to stop talking. Tim is embarrassed? He's not the one acting the fool. Steph gets in two bites before she drops the pizza and begins picking the pineapples off. "You know what? People change. And I definitely don't like pineapples on my pizza anymore!"

Kon looks hurt but doesn't say anything. Tim knows Steph has to be feeling ten times worse than he is right now.

-

Miraculously, lunch was saved. Somehow. Kon brought up Wendy the Werewolf Stalker - probably because he thought it was a safe topic - and Tim successfully guided Steph through it. Luckily Steph had always been a good listener, and Tim found that things worked more smoothly as he explained things before Kon brought them up. With lunch out the way, Kon grabbed Robin's hand again and tugged her toward the games. "Wanna play a few before the movie?"

"Sure," Steph said, already prepared by Tim. Steph had always been competitive so at least he had no worry that she'd hit it off well with Kon at this. He watches Steph scan the games through the camera, finally settling on a pinball machine. Tim grips his seat.  _'Steph, no. Not pin-'_ "How about pinball?" she asks excitedly.

The camera turns to Kon, whose face immediately flushes. Tim sees the muscle in his arm flex and feels slightly bad for Steph's hand. "Are you kidding me? You know I hate pinball. Anything but that."

"Oh, okay... Um."  _'Skee ball.'_ "Skee ball?"

"Fine," Kon says a bit stiffly.

-

At the end of their time at the arcade, Kon buys a cheap plastic ring with his tickets and offers it to Robin. Steph accepts it and Tim can just imagine her uncomfortable smile right now. He watches on the camera as Kon holds her hand and lines the ring up with one of her fingers. She grabs it out of his hand and zips it in her purse before he can slip it on her finger. "I'm...going to put it in my purse to keep it safe!"

Kon looks disappointed again but says nothing.

"Don't want to be late for the movie!" she pipes, grabbing Kon's hand by the wrist and practically dragging him to the theater. "What movie do you want to see? We should see the one that's airing soonest!"

Tim knows that to be code for him to do that leg work for her, which he does. A quick search online gives him the info he needs.  _'The Rancher starts in 15 minutes.'_

"Oh! Let's go see the Rancher! What's that one about again?"  _'It's about a guy who leaves the city to start a ranch. It's a drama with dark comedy. The reviews are so-so.'_ "That's the one with the guy who leaves the city, right? Perfect!"

"Uh, actually I wanted to see- You know what? Never mind. Whatever you want."

-

Tim's not surprised that Kon tries to get frisky with Tim in the theatre. First Kon had tried making smart remarks about the movie during the slow scenes, which is totally a thing they did together when they streamed movies together online. Steph must be really uncomfortable because she shushes him loudly. Then, Kon had tried pointing out all the things the nameless Rancher did that were completely untrue or made no sense to real ranchers. 

"Yeah, you would know," Steph teased back. Tim had to give her props because it sounded convincing. That is, until: "You know, being from Wyoming and all."

Adding pain to misery, Kon leaned over halfway during the movie and apparently kissed Steph's neck, because Tim heard a wet sound followed by Steph screaming. Tim knows one thing for sure: Steph hit Kon with her purse three times and Kon didn't try making any moves on Steph after that.  Tim can feel the tension between then and he's not even with them in person.

Now that they're out of the theater, Kon slips his hands into his pockets and stares at the ground. It's midday and not too many people are milling around. 

"Well. That was," Steph says. Kon looks up to her, waiting for her to finish the thought. It takes her a full twenty seconds to settle on: "Something. That was something."

"Sure was," Kon says miserably. Tim's heart sinks. Tim's eyes have been welling with tears since they walked out of the movies, and now one spills down his cheek. Besides this day failing so miserably, Tim felt like he was breathing goopy tar from his lungs every time Kon flashed Steph a gentle smile that was meant for Robin, meant for him. He'd just wanted Kon to have a good time, to get what he deserved. Tim assumed Kon expected a pretty girl and a fun time and instead it was- well, a wreck. He shakes in place with his silent tears and knows Steph knows he's crying because he's stopped talking. Tim has never trusted his voice when he cries.

"So we did lunch, games, and a movie," she says, listening them off with her fingers. "That's a pretty decent first date." Steph used that tone on the second date they went on, the one before she broke up with him. He knows she just wants Kon to kiss her cheek and get out of there. "I think I'm going to take a taxi home, okay?"

"Wait. I wanna do one more thing." Kon looks earnest, but Tim bets Steph doesn't share his look.

"What do you want to do, Superboy?" Tim cringes by how sarcastic the nickname sounds when she says it this time.

"I, um. I wanna try a Creamy Mama's with you." Kon clears out his throat, blushing fiercely. "The Gotham flavor."

"I...am on a diet," Steph lies lamely. "Besides, the Gotham doesn't taste that great. Everybody knows Mama's Cream Pie is where it's at!"

"...You're right," Kon says softly, both his face and gaze dropping. Whenever Tim has Skyped with Kon, he's always been so radiant, so bright like the sun. Right now, he looks like a fading candle. Kon shrugs, shaking his head. "Meeting up was a bad idea. Do you- Tell me the truth, do you even want to be with me?" 

"Oh my  _god!_ " Steph practically screams, ripping out her pin. The screen blanks out completely, and just like that, Tim's visuals are gone. "I can't take this anymore!"

 _'Steph? Steph, what's happening? I can't see anything!'_ Tim knows he's croaking but he doesn't care. The last thing he saw was Kon looking miserable and his heart is breaking.

-

"-or mad? Did he leave? Steph, please talk to me. Oh god, he's going to hate me. Did he look disappointed when he left? You were right. I should have never done. I should have told him from the start and I should have been there today. He's never going to talk to me again. I'm so sorry, can you chase him down and tell him that? I never wanted this. I just thought... I don't know what I thought. Shit."

Tim leans back in his seat, scrubbing his hands down his face. How could he have let things go so wrong so quick? He always had contingency plans, but Steph breaking the camera and going rogue on him was unexpected. He should have planned for this. He should have known this wouldn't work, but what choice did he have? All he could do now was try to reach out to Superboy and hope he'd understand that Tim never meant for any of this to happen. His mind raced with the possibilities, everything from hijacking one of his dad's private jets out to Smallville to never logging back into his chat so that Kon would hopefully forget him and erase Tim's existence from his memory, which was exactly what Tim feels like doing right now.

_'...Robin?'_

"Kon," Tim breathes. His stomach leaps in panic, starting to roll as if he were rocked by waves. "It's me."

After an uneasy amount of silence, Tim thinks Kon's run away. He nearly misses the shy, _'...hi.'_

"Hi," Tim whispers back. 

 _'So you're-? Wait.'_  Tim imagines Kon running a hand through his hair like he's seen him do on Skype so many times before. _'What's going on? Explain.'_

Tim takes a deep breath and swallows down the knot in his throat. This is it. Everything comes out now. "I'm Robin. You just went on a date with my friend Steph. I had her pose as me because- because I didn't want you to find out I'm a guy, but I guess that... I guess that's..."

Kon exhales heavily through his nose and growls. _'You're really Robin. No more jokes?'_

"I'm really Robin," Tim chokes out, holding back a sob. Kon sounds angry and skeptical and Tim's torn between crying out of relief that Kon's still talking to him and crying out of misery to know he's the one making Kon use that tone.

_'Tell me something only Robin knows.'_

"Shit. Um- I told Steph not to do pinball. She didn't hear me in time, I guess."

 _'Damn right,'_ Kon sighs, letting out an annoyed groan. It makes Tim smile if for nothing else than knowing that groan means Kon believes him. Tim knew that all of Smallville knew Kon hated pinball, but Kon had only ever told five people the story of why. That number became six when Superboy met Robin. _'Okay, um... I'm. I don't how I feel right now.'_

It's tempting to break down into a mantra of 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry,' but Tim doesn't. He chooses his words precisely because they might be the last ones Kon ever hears. "I didn't know how to tell you. I didn't want this. You've got to believe me, Kon."

 _'I do,'_ Kon says, and Tim feels his stomach flip at the thought of there being a chance to fix this,  _'but I can't do this_ _.'_


	2. Chapter 2

Steph finds Tim in his room, rolled up on his bed in a cocoon of blankets. She sits down and he doesn't so much as stir.  

"Oh, Tim," she says, peeling back one of the sheets and pushing the bangs out of his face, "I'm so sorry."

She leans down to kiss his cheek and finds it wet. "Does he want to stay together?"

Tim thinks that's a funny way of asking, 'did he break up with you?' He doesn't shrug. He doesn't shake his head. Tim continues to stare, wishing he was as dead as he feels inside.

-

 **My Clone Boy:** We need to talk.

Tim stares at the text on his phone. He hadn't moved from his spot in hours, not until long after Steph had left. She was the only one who knew about Kon in town, so luckily Dick didn't think much when Tim said he was too tired for dinner. Some time after Dick left, Tim heard his phone buzz but he'd been too depressed to check it. Now, he desperately wishes he had. 

-

 _Red Robin_  is online

 **Red Robin:**  What did you want to talk about?  
**superboy:** you catfished me.  
**Red Robin:** I wanted to tell you.  
**superboy:** but you didn't  
**Red Robin:** I couldn't.  
**superboy:** YES YOU COULD HAVE  
**Red Robin:** It's not that simple.  
**superboy:** how am i supposed to trust you ever again?  
**Red Robin:** Everything else is true.  
**Red Robin:** I'm still the same person.  
**superboy:** but how do i KNOW that???  
**Red Robin:** You just have to trust me.  
**superboy:** i can't do that right now  
**superboy:** idk  
**superboy:** i need to think about this  
**Red Robin:** Kon...  
**superboy:** what's your real name?  
**Red Robin:** I know you're mad, but I still can't tell you.  
**Red Robin:** Please understand

 _superboy_ is offline

-

Kon doesn't suggest that they should meet up before he goes back to Smallville, and Tim doesn't ask.

-

Tim spends the new two days checking the chat every ten minutes. Superboy doesn't log in once.

-

Tim's eyes sport dark circles from staying up to late, hoping for a second that Kon - no, he lost the right to call him that - that Superboy will log on. If he came online, then he was invisible, but neither Bart nor Cassie heard from him either. Tim had scoured every single form of contact he'd had with Kon from World of Warcraft to Kon's streaming channel to Snapchat, but all of Kon's social media remained radio static silent.  

Jason takes one look at Tim staring at his phone and his face pinches. He turns right on his heel and shouts loud enough the whole house to hear. "Grab dad's shotgun, we're going to Smallville!"

Damian and Dick yell "I got the knives!" and "I'm driving!" at the same time.

-

 _superboy_ is online

 **Red Robin:** Kon  
**Red Robin:** How are you?  
**superboy:** idk, it's hard  
**Red Robin:** I missed you  
**superboy:** me too  
**Red Robin:** You did?  
**superboy:** well yeah  
**superboy:**  do you know how hard and lonely it was to go even a few days without talking to the person you trusted the most?

Tim notices the past tense. It hurts. His fingers flinch against the home row.

 **Red Robin:** Yeah, I do.  
**superboy:** i didn't mean it like that  
**Red Robin:** I know.  
**Red Robin:** So what do you want to do?  
**superboy:** i still want to talk to you  
**Red Robin:** Ok  
**Red Robin:** I'm glad.  
**superboy:**  i missed my best friend

Tim worries his bottom lip between his teeth. He can't break his eyes away from those two words until Kon's next reply bumps them higher up the screen.

 **superboy:** you still there?  
**Red Robin:** Just a best friend?  
**Red Robin:** Too soon?  
**superboy:** i need more time  
**Red Robin:** Ok  
**superboy:** this is too serious  
**superboy:** it's weirding me out  
**superboy:** can we talk about something else?

-

 **superboy:** im so hungary  
**Red Robin:** Maybe you should Czech the fridge  
**superboy:**....................  
**superboy:** i'm russian to the kitchen  
**Red Robin:** Maybe you will find some Turkey  
**superboy:** too much greece  
**Red Robin:** Ew, Norway you can eat that  
**superboy:** i think i'll eat some canned chile instead  
**Red Robin:** I would like a Canada chili as well  
**superboy:** denmark your name on it   
**Red Robin:** Real talk, how many of those puns did you have to Google?  
**superboy:** all of them  
**Red Robin:** I missed you so much  
**superboy:** leave me alone!!!!

-

 **Red Robin:** That was more fun than I expected  
**superboy:** um yeah?? maybe it's fun to watch movies with me??  
**Red Robin:** NO I DIDN'T MEAN IT LIKE THAT  
**Red Robin:** I mean, it felt normal.  
**superboy:** yeah, until you keep bringing it up like that :/  
**Red Robin:** Sorry  
**superboy:** wanna watch another movie?  
**Red Robin:** Ok, you choose  
**superboy:** looking for a stream of uninvited  
**Red Robin:** The horror movie?  
**superboy:** NO THE ONE FROM THE 80S  
**superboy:** IT'S ABOUT A KILLER CAT  
**Red Robin:** Oh my god xD  
**Red Robin:** It sounds awesome  
**superboy:** my taste is awesome  
**Red Robib:** No it isn't **  
Red Robin:** You liked the Fantastic Four reboot  
**superboy:** you liked the willy wonka remake  
**Red Robin:** Ok but Johnny Depp  
**superboy:** ok but gene wilder  
**Red Robin:** Why did I ever think you're attractive??  
**superboy:** you still do, dummy  
**Red Robin:** Just find the stream omg

-

 **Red Robin:** Not to make things weird but do you still want to cosplay Seraph and Wendy?  
**superboy:** UMMMM YES  
**superboy:** 8DDD  
**Red Robin:** Well it would be rule 63 Wendy now...  
**superboy:** still seraph and wendy  
**Red Robin:**  True  
**Red Robin:**  So you still want to come out for Wendycon?  
**superboy:**  some day  
**Red Robin:**  Cool :)  
**superboy:** what design were you thinking for rule 63 wendy?  
**Red Robin:** I have a couple ideas! I sketched them out a few days ago, texting you pics now.

Tim excitedly grabs for his phone and texts Kon the photos. For the first time since Kon left Gotham, things feel normal.

-

 **superboy:** soooooo...  
**Red Robin:** What's up?  
**superboy:** can we skype?  
**superboy:** i know what you sound like now  
**Red Robin:** Um  
**superboy:** forget it  
**Red Robin:** No, I want to!  
**superboy:** ok  
**superboy:** when?  
**Red Robin:** We could do it now...  
**superboy:** really?  
**Red Robin:** Yeah :)  
**superboy:** yessss, ok logging in now  
**Red Robin:** Can we not do video though?  
**Red Robin:** i'm not ready for that yet.  
**superboy:** yeah ok  
**superboy:** but i'm not gonna hold out forever, ok?  
**Red Robin:** Ok :)

-

"Hey."

"Hey."

"So....is this okay?" Tim asks quietly.

"Yeah... Yeah, this is okay," Kon says back. His voice isn't quite strained, but it sounds thick and stiff. Tim imagines Kon's face folding in on itself like it does when Tim types a word that Kon doesn't know. "For now."

"Ah." Tim holds his breath. "Is this weird? Hearing my voice now."

"...I mean," Kon says, a bit softer. "I thought you might be a guy."

Tim lets out a shaky breath, unsure how to respond to that. "You did?"

"Yeah," Kon admits. Tim almost hears a laugh in there. "Because you're so private with your pictures and voice and you didn't even tell me your name, but you were so open with everything else. And the whole thing about thinking about you as a guy when I..."

Tim's breath catches. "Did you ever?"

" _Oh yeah_ ," Kon breathes. "It was...good. Really good. But like, so I told Ma about that - not the sexy part, just about thinking about you as a guy - and she said 'son, what are you going to do if that girl's a boy?'"

"Oh..." Tim smiles at the mental image. Kon's shown Tim plenty of pictures of him with Ma, and Tim can perfectly imagine her creased forehead when Kon told her of his online friend. "What did you tell her?"

Kon's laugh sounds breathless and pained. "I told her, I'm still gonna do you."

Robin splutters over the line and Kon laughs at him, full and vibrant. When Tim finally regains control of his voice, it sounds small. "If you knew, why didn't you tell me? Or ask?"

Tim can't see him, but something in Kon's voice makes him think of Kon shrugging. "I dunno. Same reason as you?"

"Oh." It's a tiny sound. "Are you mad?"

"Yeah. I mean, at first. But it's not- I'm relieved, you know?" There's an awkward pause, uneasy for both. "I guess you don't know. I wondered if it was something about me that made you want to stay away. I'm glad- Well, no. I'm not glad, but... This is something I can get over, Rob."

"I'm sorry."

"Me too."

-

 **Red Robin:**  When are you going to visit again?  
**superboy:** um  
**Red Robin:** Too soon?   
**superboy:** kinda  
**superboy:** i just want things to keep it how it is for awhile  
**superboy:** until it feels right again  
**Red Robin:** Ok.  
**Red Robin:** I'll wait for you.

-

"I'm glad," Dick says, knocking on Tim's door. Startled, Tim whips his face to the doorway, where Dick is leaning against the frame. "You're happier lately. I'm glad you worked things out with your boyfriend."

"...Oh." Tim stares at his screen. Kon's currently arguing that Michelangelo is the best Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, but Tim is shutting him down. He smiles, feeling his heart swell with appreciation when he thinks of how Kon would barely speak to him a month ago. "Yeah, things are pretty good."

-

 **superboy:** im so lspee  
**superboy:** slpee  
**superboy:** SLEPE  
**superboy:**................  
**Red Robin:** omg   
**superboy:** tired okk  
**Red Robin:** Go sleep  
**superboy:** no  
**superboy:** dont' wanna  
**Red Robin:** You need sleep. Sleep is good for you.  
**superboy:** ;)  
**Red Robin:** KON  
**superboy:** thatw as suppposed to be :(  
**Red Robin:** Pls sleep  
**superboy:** u slep  
**Red Robin:** I'm dying over here???  
**Red Robin:** Why won't you go to sleep?  
**superboy:** talkiing to u  
**Red Robin:** Awww  
**superboy:** sing me a lulably  
**Red Robin:** I will read you Go The Fuck To Sleep  
**superboy:** no iwan ta LULLABY  
**Red Robin:** Ok  
**Red Robin:** Twinkle, twinkle, Superboy  
**Red Robin:** Go to sleep it is a joy  
**Red Robin:** Not quite like a superman  
**Red Robin:** Acting up without a plan  
**Red Robin:** Twinkle, twinkle, Superboy  
**superboy:** ju7k6nhujk9  
**Red Robin:** Go to sleep it is a joy  
**Red Robin:** There you go  
**Red Robin:** I made it up just for you  
**Red Robin:** Kon?  
**Red Robin:** Omg did you finally sleep...

-

Tim wakes up to a picture of Kon in his texts. Kon's cheek is red and has pockets in the shape of the home row keys indented in it. He's frowning so exaggeratedly in the picture that the dimples by his chin show and he's cradling the other half of his face in a facepalm. Tim hasn't laughed as hard since before Kon visited Gotham the first time.

 **Me:** Sexy ;-)  
**My Clone Boy:** U suck

-

 _superboy_ is online

 **superboy:** DUDE  
**superboy:** i heard a song today that reminded me of you  
**Red Robin:**!!!!!  
**Red Robin:** What was it?  
**superboy:** ok so ma leaves her old records on sometimes or puts on the oldies station when she cleans  
**superboy:** she had her records out today and put on bing crosby  
**Red Robin:** Really? Bing Crosby reminds you of me?  
**Red Robin:** I thought he only did Christmas music  
**superboy:** LISTEN  
**superboy:** let me get the lyrics  
**superboy:** When the red red robin comes bob bob bobbin' along along  
There'll be no more sobbin' when he starts throbbin' his old sweet song  
Wake up wake up you sleepy head get up get up get out of bed  
Cheer up cheer up the sun is red live love laugh and be happy  
**superboy:** it made me think of you bobbing along **  
Red Robin:** Wait you didn't know this song????  
**superboy:** no????  
**Red Robin:** Where did you think I got my username from??  
**superboy:** the hamburger place???  
**Red Robin:** Oh my god  
**Red Robin:** No!!!!  
**superboy:** HEY IDK  
**Red Robin:** I can't believe you just found out about this song now...  
**superboy:** well excuse me!!  
**superboy:** why this song then??  
**Red Robin:** It's happy.  
**Red Robin:** It's about leaving the sadness when the red robin comes along. I like it.  
**superboy:** i guess that's cool.  
**Red Robin:** I wasn't in a good place when I made this account.  
**superboy:** and now?  
**Red Robin:** I'm much better :)  
**superboy:** im glad :)

-

 **My Clone Boy:** Guess what I'm eating rn  
**Me:** Mexican  
**My Clone Boy:** Nope!  
**Me:** Idk what  
**My Clone Boy:** Rrrrred Robin!  
**My Clone Boy:** Yummmm  
**Me:** I hate you  
**My Clone Boy:** :-D

-

 _Red Robin_ is online

 **superboy:** whoa  
**superboy:** isn't it late over there??  
**Red Robin:** I'm only one hour ahead of you  
**superboy:** still late  
**Red Robin:** Ok true but I just thought of something and had to tell you.  
**superboy:** oooh what is it  
**Red Robin:** Ok, you remember when you said that red robin reminded you of me?  
**superboy:** yeah  
**Red Robin:** Well I remembered a song that reminded me of you.  
**superboy:** what is it :0  
**Red Robin:** superman by taylor swift  
**superboy:** tswift??????!!  
**Red Robin:** Hear me out.   
**Red Robin:** I watch superman fly away  
You've got a busy day today  
Go save the world, I'll be around  
I watch superman fly away  
Come back I'll be with you someday  
I'll be right here on the ground  
When you come back down  
**superboy:** hmmmm  
**Red Robin:** I thought it was cute  
**Red Robin:** Whatever  
**superboy:** i like it  
**superboy:** i just can't get over you listening to tswift  
**Red Robin:** She's a talented artist!  
**superboy:** uh huh  
**Red Robin:** Ok, but do you see?  
**Red Robin:** I saw superboy fly away...  
**superboy:** i like the saving the world part  
**Red Robin:** I figured you would.  
**superboy:** hmmmmmm  
**Red Robin:** What?  
**superboy:** so you'll wait for me on the ground?  
**Red Robin:** That's what the lyrics say.  
**superboy:** but what would you do  
**Red Robin:** I'd do what the lyrics say...  
**Red Robin:** I meant it when I said I would wait for you, Kon.  
**superboy:** oh wow  
**Red Robin:** What????  
**superboy:** i didn't think you'd admit it.  
**Red Robin:** I'm going to bed if you're just going to make fun of me  
**superboy:** YOU SHOULD BE ASLEEP ANYWAY **  
superboy:** GO TO SLEEP  **  
Red Robin:** OK OK:( **  
Red Robin:** Night, babe. **  
Red Robin:**  (Is babe okay?)  
**superboy:** yeah it is :)  
**superboy:** night, babe <3

-

 _superboy_ is online **  
**

**superboy:** THE WENDY TRAILER  
**Red Robin:** I KNOW  
**Red Robin:** IT LOOKS SO GOOD  
**superboy:** IT LOOKS BETTER THAN GOOD IT LOOKS AWESOME  
**Red Robin:** IT'S MY NEW FAVORITE MOVIE  
**superboy:** IT'S NOT EVEN OUT YET  
**Red Robin:** IT'S STILL MY FAVORITE MOVIE  
**superboy:** OK BUT  
**superboy:** VIOLET LOOKS SO GOOD  
**Red Robin:** OMG YES I SCREAMED A LITTLE WHEN I SAW HER  
**Red Robin:** MY BABY IS GOIGN TO BE SO MAMZING ON THE BIG SCREEN  
**superboy:** HNNNNNGH  
**superboy:** I WANT THIS MOVIE SO BAD ALREADY  
**Red Robin:** AND SERAPH  
**superboy:** I WANT TO LICK HIM  
**Red Robin:** THAT'S MY BOYFRIEND  
**superboy:** I'M YOUR BOYFRIEND

Tim's heart skips a beat. He knows that's only a thing of romance movies and cheesy love songs, but Tim understands the appeal of them ever since he met Kon. 

 **Red Robin:**  OK BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO FIGHT ME FOR HIM  
**superboy:**  I WILL FIGHT YOU  
**superboy:** WITH MY MOUTH

-

Steph hangs out in Tim's room for two minutes before she says, "I'm glad you two worked out your problem."

Tim splutters as he finishes sending Kon a text, and immediately pockets his phone. (This defense was the only way to make sure Jason didn't steal his phone while he wasn't looking and send Kon weird texts.) "You're the fifth person to say that to me today. Is it so obvious?"

"Honestly?" Steph bites her bottom lip and her rosy cheeks make it look like she really, really wants to laugh. "You're literally swooning. It's obvious to _every_ body."

Tim attempts to sigh but it comes out dreamily. "What can I say? We got back together!"

Steph's eyes are screaming 'I told you so,' but her smile says 'I'm happy for you Tim.' 

-

 **Red Robin:** Soooo...  
**superboy:**...yeah?  
**Red Robin:** Do you know when your dad is going to Metropolis?  
**superboy:** ha ha are you finally asking me out??  
**Red Robin:** Yes  
**Red Robin:** I want to take you on a date.  
**Red Robin:** For real.  
**superboy:** really?  
**Red Robin:** Yeah. Don't you?  
**superboy:** well yeah  
**Red Robin:** I'm ready to meet you.  
**superboy:** i've been waiting for you to say that 

-

Immediately when the call starts, Kon says, "wanna bang? - Whoops, autocorrect! Meant to say, wanna hang?"

"...Kon, this is a verbal conversation."

"I saw the post on Tumblr and it reminded me of you," Kon grumbles, "shaddup."

Tim's heart swells at Kon's lame but admittedly adorable attempt at flirting. He wishes his stomach didn't drop and make him squirm in place the more he thought about it. Kon joked freely about Tim's body lately, but Tim couldn't believe that Kon had accepted it so simply.

"...Serious question," Tim asks after awhile.

"'Kay, shoot." 

It's so quiet that Tim can hear Kon's music playing gently in the background. "Are you really okay with me being a guy?"

"Yeah." Kon's voice is relaxed, like it doesn't even matter to him. "It's only weird when you bring it up seriously like that."

"Really?" Tim frowns, unsure why he should be unsettled when things are so simple for Kon. "You said you liked girls more..."

"Yeah," Kon says. He hums as if he's thinking. "But I like you more than I like girls."

"Oh." Tim can't think of anything else to say to that.

"For real. It doesn't matter to me what you are," Kon says confidently. "It was a shock when I found out, but when I got home I realized it didn't matter much to me. I mean, I was a lot more bothered by the fact you lied to me so for so long."

"Oh..."

"Stop that," Kon snaps. Tim remains himself that he can't feel sorry for himself when he's the reason they're like this. "Anyway, I was saying. When I got home I started reading up on it and... I still don't know? But it sounds like I'm pan. Sexual. Like, not attracted to pans, but-"

"I know what pansexual is, Kon." Since coming out to Dick, he'd done his research. He had strong opinions, to the say the least. "Pansexual is basically the same thing as bisexual. Bi isn't a binary, it just means being attracted to more than one gender."

"O _kaaay_ ," Kon sasses, "well I don't know about any of that, but  _I_  like pan."

"Hm," Tim hums back, though he sounds pleased. "Okay. I just don't want things to be weird when we...y'know."

Kon hums in such a way that Tim can see the smirk on his face. "Anymore I don't got no problems with it."

"That's a double negative," Tim points out.

"I don't got _any_ problems." Kon sighs, annoyed. "Lay off, hun."

Tim nods, thinking to himself. "Have you ever...with a boy?"

"No," Kon says reluctantly. "You?"

"No!" Tim squeaks. Everything is out before he can think about saying it. "You're my first. Will be."

"...In all ways?"

"Y-Yeah," He's embarrassed to admit it, but if they're going to do this... "I mean, you're so hot. You probably have a lot of experience, but I...don't."

"Cool," Kon says. It's simple but he sounds pleased. "Me neither."

"Really?" Tim hates how much of a peep that sounds like.

He also hates the way Kon laughs at it. (No, he doesn't.) "C'mon, I'm not _that_ hot." 

"Uhh, _yeah_ , you are."

"Everybody out here looks like me. You make it sound like I'm famous 'r somethin'," Kon says. Tim laughs because Kon's accent sounds thicker when he's defensive. Tim's learned his accent is less because of Kansas and more because he's a country boy.

"I just thought..." 

"I want my first time to mean something," Kon explains. "And I didn't get to meet Cassie in person, so..."

Tim snorts a little. "Greece is far."

"Tell me 'bout it!" Kon laughs easily.

"Okay. I just," Tim holds his breath. The feelings of inadequacy that held him from telling the truth to Kon for so long come rushing back, straight to his gut. "I just want it to be perfect."

"It will be," Kon assures. "Cause it's gonna be you n' me."

-

 _superboy_ is online

 **Red Robin:** Konnnnnn  
**Red Robin:** How are you?   
**superboy:** super!!  
**Red Robin:** SuperLAME maybe  
**superboy:** :(  
**superboy:** since you think i'm so lame, i'm leaving  
**Red Robin:** WAIT DON'T GO  
**Red Robin:** I didn't mean it!! :(  
**superboy:** make it up to me  
**Red Robin:** Whatever you want, big guy!  
**superboy:** ok i want a dick pic  
**Red Robin:** KON  
**superboy:** WHAT  
**superboy:** IT'S NOT SHOWING YOUR FACE SO IT'S OK  
**superboy:** or is your dick so famous that everybody knows it?

Kon has a point. And if Tim's being honest with himself, he's pleased that Kon is interested in his body. Getting over the idea that Robin is a girl must have been hard for him, but they've been Skyping nearly every other day and Tim's relieved at how into his voice Kon is. Kon calls it cute and sexy, even when his accent slips, and it makes Tim's skin feel like it's singing. But this is something different altogether and he supposes he owes it to Kon.

 **Red Robin:** Ugh  
**Red Robin:** Check your phone

Tim bites his bottom lip and waits exactly three seconds.

 **superboy:** ROB **  
****superboy:** THAT IS A PICTURE OF DICK GRAYSON  
**Red Robin:** Well you asked for a Dick pic...  
**superboy:** NOT FAIR  
**superboy:** I WANTED TO SEE *YOUR* DICK  
**Red Robin:** Siiiiiiigh  
**Red Robin:** Ok FINE  
**superboy:** SHOW ME SHOW ME SHOW ME

Tim scrolls through his phone for another picture and sends it to Kon. He's already laughing so hard that Damian yells for him to stop flirting from his bedroom.

 **superboy:** WHY DID YOU SEND ME A PICTURE OF MYSELF  
**Red Robin:** You're my dick. :)  
**superboy:** THAT'S MEAN  
**Red Robin:** It's true lol  
**superboy:** you're no fun :((  
**Red Robin:** You love me.  
**superboy:** only a little bit now  
**Red Robin:** :(  
**superboy:** fiiiiiine more than a little bit  
**Red Robin:** :)

-

It's 1:30pm in Gotham, which means it's 12:30pm in Smallville. Tim memorized Kon's schedule months ago and knows it's lunch time over there, so he texts Kon during trigonometry. 

 **My Clone Boy:** HOLY SHIT   
**My Clone Boy:** WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO ME  
**Me:** You like it?  
**My Clone Boy:** I LIKE IT   
**Me:** How much do you like it?  
**My Clone Boy:** I like it so much I'm skipping my next period to visit the bathroom

"Fuck," Tim breathes, squirming in his seat. He's about to text Kon a reply when the teacher calls out to him.

"Mr. Wayne, pay attention."

"Actually," Tim says, feigning a cough. It's a weak act, but he's a Wayne so it works. "I'm not feeling well. Can I go to the nurse's office?"

"...Fine," the teacher says reluctantly. Nobody would dare defy the son of the school's number one benefactor, but Tim tries not to take advantage of that. Unless it's important. And this is very, _very_ important.

Once Tim's closed the door behind him and in the hallway, he texts Kon. 

 **Me:** Send me a pic of yours after looking at mine.  
**Me:** I'm going to the nurse's office right now...  
**My Clone Boy:** FUCK

-

 _Red Robin_ is online

 **Red Robin:** cn u gt on skype  
**superboy:** i'm kinda busy with hw  
**superboy:** why are you typing so weird??  
**Red Robin:** my bros arent home  
**Red Robin:** typin w 1 hand  
**superboy:** logging on rn

-

Tim wants to die.

"I'm glad you... _love_ your online boyfriend," Bruce says, voice so evenly and trained that Tim wonders how many times he rehearsed it, "but the rest of the family really didn't need to see that email."

Tim doesn't _want_ to die, it feels like he's dying already.

Bruce's jaw clenches. "Anybody can hack into an email account so maybe you shouldn't exchange such...private emails. At all. To protect your privacy."

Not only is Tim dying, but he's going to hell and this is punishment.

"Alfred thought it would be too extreme if I took away your phone and internet privileges, so I've installed a word filter on all your devices instead."

Tim's dead and this is hell.

"A what!?"

-

 **superboy:** wanna lick your assistant and stick my decorum up it  
**Red Robin:** Omg  
**Red Robin:** Stop  
**Red Robin:** Please  
**superboy:**???  
**Red Robin:** No se/xy stuff  
**Red Robin:** My dad put a word filter on all my things. It's autocorrecting all your words.  
**superboy:** what???  
**Red Robin:** I ACCIDENTALLY CC'ED MY FAMILY IN THAT LAST EMAIL AND MY DAD PUNISHED ME  
**superboy:** OMG  
**Red Robin:** THIS IS REALLY HELL!!!!  
**superboy:** wait so?? word filter??  
**Red Robin:** It autocorrects all "inappropriate" words  
**Red Robin:** Like se/xy becomes saccharine  
**Red Robin:** It's like he's trying to force me to study for the SATs  
**superboy:** what  
**superboy:** i still don't get it  
**Red Robin:** Ugh, hang on **  
Red Robin:** I'll take a screencap and send it to you

-

 **superboy:** AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA  
**Red Robin:** I hate you so much.

- 

"Hang on, I'm gonna get wooder," Tim says, scooting his chair away from his desk. 

"Some _what?_ "

Tim blinks, replaying what he said to himself. They've been talking for two hours now, so a glass of water isn't such a weird- Oh, no. 

"Oh god, you didn't hear that," Tim says, cringing at himself. "Water. I'm grabbing  _water_."

"Wooder!" Kon says gleefully between laughs. "I was wondering when you'd sound like you're from the Gotham shore!"

"Shut up," Tim says, cheeks hot. He's glad Kon can't see him because his cheeks are so bright that he can see them reflected in his computer's screen. "You got me talking about Wendy, it slips out when I'm excited."

 _"Hmm_..." 

"Whatever you're thinking, stop." This is the thing, the one thing. This is where Tim puts his foot down.

"I mean, you're really into _my_ accent," Kon drawls. "And we haven't been able to write roleplay anything naughty since your dad started filtering your texts..."

Tim narrows his eyes, not liking where this is going. "And what does this have to do with you wanting me to talk like Snookie?"

"We could play out a Gotham Shore AU..."

"I swear to god I will hang up on you."

-

 **superboy:** can i lick your bobbles and put my banana on your toppers?  
**Red Robin:** My dad took the filter off last week, dummy  
**superboy:** oh man  
**superboy:** that's too bad, i liked talking about your eggplant   
**Red Robin:**!!???!!  
**Red Robin:** KON NO

-

 **superboy:** you know, i'm really glad your friend wasn't robin  
**Red Robin:** Steph?  
**Red Robin:** I thought she'd be what you were expecting.  
**superboy:** well yeah  
**superboy:**  she was cute but totally weird  
**superboy:** tbh i think that was the worst date i've had in my life  
**Red Robin:** Yikes!  
**superboy:** lol  
**Red Robin:** When you went to the movies, did you go to Studio 52 of the new 52?  
**superboy:** uhh  
**superboy:** new 52 i think  
**Red Robin:** Ohhh. That IS bad. That one sucks.  
**superboy:** tell me about it!! it really stunk  
**superboy:** like the WORST smell you can imagine  
**Red Robin:** lol I know, I've been there.  
**superboy:** i couldn't stop thinking about it during the movie  
**Red Robin:** But you still tried to make out with Robin.  
**superboy:** i'd make out with you anywhere, babe ;)  
**Red Robin:** I'm not making out with you in the new 52  
**superboy:** why notttt  
**Red Robin:** Because!  
**Red Robin:** It's gross.  
**superboy:** well ok yeah  
**superboy:** you're lucky you weren't there

Tim shifts anxiously in place, typing and deleting all his responses. Nothing seems right to say to that.

 **superboy:** you really have to make it up to me  
**superboy:** like  
**superboy:** you owe me an AWESOME date  
**Red Robin:** Okay. Next time you're in town.  
**superboy:** no sending me fake robins, no matter how cute they are  
**Red Robin:** I won't.   
**Red Robin:** It'll be just me.  
**superboy:** good :)  
**superboy:** bc that's all i want  
**Red Robin:**.........You're so corny??  
**superboy:** i'm CHARMING

-

 **superboy:** psst i love you  
**Red Robin:** Psst I love you too

-

 _superboy_ is online

 **superboy:** BABE GUESS WHAT  
**Red Robin:** Chickenbutt?  
**superboy:** omg  
**superboy:** are you 5yo???  
**Red Robin:** STFU  
**Red Robin:** Tell meeeeee  
**superboy:** OK SO  
**superboy:** THE PLANET IS SENDING MY DAD TO GOTHAM AGAIN  
**Red Robin:** Are you going with him???  
**superboy:** i mean  
**superboy:** i want to  
**superboy:** do you want me to??  
**Red Robin:** UM DUH  
**superboy:** ok then   
**superboy:** i already told him tbh  
**superboy:** but he told me i had to ask u first :P  
**Red Robin:** You goober  
**superboy:** your goober

-

Too excited to type, Tim proposes they Skype. His voice is as shaky as his hands. "When are you coming? How long are you going to be here? Tell me everything."

"Whoa, one question at a time! Umm... I don't know when yet, but Clark said we'd be there a week," Kon says, sounding happy. "Five days, technically."

"That's a lot of time," Tim says giddily. He's squirming in place just thinking about it.

"Yeah."

Tim worries his bottom lip between his teeth. He hopes it's not presumptuous but... "How much of that time do you want to spend together?"

"All of it," Kon replies immediately. Tim's pleased that Kon's answer is the same as his. "Seriously, anything to get me out of following my dad around. He psyches himself up for big interviews by looking at himself in the mirror and saying _truth! Justice! And the American way!_ " Tim starts laughing at the exaggerated voice Kon mocks. "It's _pain_ ful!"

"Oh my god," Tim wheezes. Kon doesn't talk about his dad too often because things are weird between them, but sometimes his dad sounds like a bigger dork than Kon. "Sounds like it it."

"Mhmm."

"Well," Tim says in a soft voice, "I can plan it out, if you want..."

"To be honest I thought you'd have it planned out already," Kon laughs. Tim says nothing. This continues for nearly twenty seconds before Kon chokes. "Oh my god, you do!"

"It's not like I had it _all_ planned out!" Tim insists. "I just- I wanted to be ready next time you came!"

"I bet you were super freaky about it and made three plans, the one you _really_ wanted and two backups."

"Don't be silly," Tim says defensively, shifting in place and blushing. "I planned for a week and then prioritized and expanded into incremental adjustments, keeping in mind alternative options in case something comes up."

"God, you're weird," Kon laughs brightly. "I love you so much!"

-

 _superboy_ is online

 **Red Robin:** OK I THINK I HAVE EVERYTHING PLANNED OUT  
**superboy:** omg babe at least say hi first  
**Red Robin:** I've been planning this for the past year   
**Red Robin:** Don't @ me  
**superboy:** when did you start planning......  
**Red Robin:** Besides the point, babe  
**Red Robin:** (After the first time we rped)  
**superboy:** OMG I KNEW YOU FOR LIKE A MONTH   
**Red Robin:** Stop interrupting and let me tell you!!!  
**superboy:** ok fine lemme see   
**Red Robin:** OK SO  
**Red Robin:** Day 1: Date, take two and touristy stuff. I'm talking photo booths and matching GCU hats.  
**Red Robin:** Day 2: Wendy day. Wendy in 3D, Wendy exhibit at the GMA, Wendy cosplay. ALL OF THE WENDY!!   
**Red Robin:** Day 3: Wendy hangover day. Too much Wendy but worth it. You're staying over at my place and we're going to marathon more Wendy.  
**Red Robin:** Day 4: Amusement mile + beach. I'm going to bury you in sand, so don't get mad at me when it happens.  
**Red Robin:** Day 5: Downtown + Pizzafest. Warning: there will be pineapple on your pizza.  
**superboy:** will we have time to breathe????  
**Red Robin:** Shhh

-

 **superboy:** 10 days until i see you <3  
**Red Robin:** Actually it's 10 days, 5 hours, and 32 minutes

-

"I can't believe you're still not packed," Tim laughs, watching Kon flit around his room and throw his clothes around. "You leave _tomorrow_."

"Ma and Pa kept making me do chores around the house!" Kon says while sorting through his underwear. Kon blushes when Tim laughs at his Wendy boxers. "This is why I said no video! But you just _had_ to make me..."

"Mwahaha." It's one of those fake, cartoony laughs, but his laughter is real. "Woe is you, having to do chores to make sure your house is clean before you leave."

"Dude. Babe." Kon stops sorting through his clothes to point at Tim accusingly. "I bet you don't even clean your room. You're so famous you have a fancy butler to do everything for you."

Tim stops laughing.

"For real!?" Kon bursts, shocked.

Tim is so relieved Kon can't see him for once. He's pretty sure his face looks like a tomato. "I-It's not like we have a bunch of servants or anything like that..."

"You have _servants!?_ " Kon whistles. He tosses a sock in the air and catches it a few times. "Are you seriously a prince or something?"

"Get back to packing," Tim grumbles.

"Uh huh. I see what you're doing, not answering my questions," Kon says, but returns to packing. He takes off his shirt to pack it into his bag. 

"Gross," Tim says. There's a noticeable stain beneath the sleeve of Kon's shirt. "But hot."

Kon laughs, stuffing the last of his clothes inside. "Shut up, I like this shirt."

He flexes for the camera. It's not the first time Kon has showed off for Tim, but there's something playful in his smirk as he rubs a hand up his stomach and chest.

"Hm... You know, I can't believed we've Skyped all this time and you've never put on a show for me once," Tim says, dropping his voice.

"But I'm supposed to be packing!" Kon says seriously, meanwhile circling his left nipple lazily with a fingertip.

"You've been working so hard, I think you deserve a little break..."

-

"Hey, sweetie?" Tim says idly, tucking himself back into his pants. "Are you excited for tomorrow?"

"Hell yeah," Kon says cheerfully, tugging on a fresh pair of boxers. 

Tim watches Kon's face pass through a number of expressions before settling on an uncommitted frown. "Are you worried?"

Tim expects an immediate, 'no.' He doesn't expect silence. "Can you blame me?"

A few squeaky sounds come out of Tim before he manages, "I thought..."

"I know you'll show up this time," Kon assures, leaning all his weight against his luggage to make it close. (Tim grins at the squeak of Kon's mattress, a sound he is intimately acquainted with.) "But a little part of me can't help it."

"I'll be there," Tim promises.

-

Tim picks up his buzzing phone. He doesn't even open his eyes, just bats at his nightstand for the phone and groggily croaks into it. "'Ello?"

"Robin!" Kon booms at him. "Guess where I am?"

"Your house?" Tim guesses. He's not sure what Kon's up to or why he decided to call him instead of waiting to Skype, but he's close to telling him to hang up the phone and get in the car. Any later and he'll miss his flight, which is  _not_ something Tim wants. He's done too much planning - especially to avoid telling his family that Kon's here - for this meeting not to happen.

"Guess again!" Kon's voice says cheerfully.

Tim closes his eyes and concentrates on the sounds in the background. He hears a beep and an intercom warning against luggage safety. "The airport?"

"Yup! But which one?"

Tim stiffens. His eyes snap open. "You're in Gotham."

"We just landed! The airline bumped my dad's flight a couple hours earlier and I wanted to surprise you."

Gotham. Kon is in Gotham. 

"Wh-Where are you?" Tim manages to ask, literally rolling out of bed.

"You okay?" Kon asks concernedly when he hears a loud thump and Tim's pained, _'ow.'_

"Yeah, I- um. Don't laugh. I just fell out of bed."

Tim's body warms at the sound of Kon's laughter, at the thought that he'll get it to hear it in person so soon. "You're still in bed!? It's almost one!"

"I was up with you all last night!" Tim says defensively. 

"Uh huh. Might not wanna say that out loud like that or your dad will come in and try to make real life word filtering a thing." Kon clucks his tongue. "Anyway, we're headed to the hotel now but dad says I can do whatever after, so I should be free in half an hour."

"Okay," Tim says somewhat distractedly. Twenty minutes was kind of tight just to get  _to_ Gotham from the manor. "Meet in thirty?"

"Sure! But I get to choose this time since you chose badly last time," Kon taunts. Tim can hear people shouting for taxis and honking in the background.

Tim groans at the memory. "Fine."

"I want to go to a Creamy Mama's."

"Okay," Tim barely breathes, smiling. "Where's your hotel?"

"Midtown."

"Hm. There's one on 5th and Hudson. Meet you there?"

"It's a date," Kon says, dropping his voice. "Love you, Wonder Boy."

"Love you too," Tim whispers.

Kon makes a kissing sound before hanging up. Tim just smiles dreamily from where he's still tangled in his sheets on the floor.

-

Dick walks into the kitchen in his pajamas just as Tim's rushing out.

"Where are you going?" Dick says, pouring himself a cup of coffee.

"Can't explain, gotta go," Tim says as he gives Dick a bone-crushing hug and dashes out.

"Tim, wait! You-" Dick shakes his head. Tim would notice sooner or later what he's wearing. 

-

Tim makes it to the Creamy Mama's in thirty-five minutes. His forehead is sweating from running the entire time and his lungs feel dry. As if he could not feel more self-conscious, he looks down and sees he's wearing a hoodie with a Pepe meme on it. Great. Some people have shot him odd looks and he has no doubt that the paparazzi snapped shots of him running out of the metro and down First. It's worth it. He hopes it'll be worth it. It's frustrating to know that he didn't have time to do his best. He's been waiting for this day for the months and he didn't even get a chance to wear the outfit he picked out for this momentous day - all because Kon decided to be surprisingly romantic. 

As he catches his breath outside the doughnut shop, he scans the windows for Kon. Bad idea because just the sight of Kon takes his breath away all over again. This is it. He's really going to meet Kon. He's going to- Can he do this? Fuck. Maybe Kon was just toying with him all these months and doesn't really trust him. He hyped Tim up and made him come here just to dump him in person like it happens on the show. This is- Fuck it. When he looks at Kon, all those insecurities melt away and he thinks that even if there's a chance of it happening, it's worth it.

Tim enters the shop, the little bell jingling as he opens the door. It smells too sweet in here, just like how he thinks of Kon. Tim sees Kon scanning the customers and makes direct eye contact. Kon's eyes widen a little bit and scan down Tim's body appreciatively. Tim smiles and wiggles his fingers in a wave, which is when Kon's face flushes completely and he snaps his gaze away. 

...Uh. Okay then.

Surely Kon recognized him? If not as the love of his life, then as Tim Drake-Wayne. Tim walks closer to Kon and sees Kon still scanning the streets outside and looking at the door. Tim walks closer, closer, closer...until he passes Kon and slides in the booth right behind him. Kon has absolutely no idea who he is, Tim realizes, even as all of the shop begins to murmur around him. Tim fists his hands on the table and resists the urge to scream. Kon lives in  _Smallville_ , not beneath a rock! 

"This is so awkward," he mumbles under his breath. He clears his throat, and turns around in the booth so he faces Kon's backside. "Hey."

"Hey," Kon says back, blushing. Tim sees the red tips of Kon's ears from the back of his head, and when Kon turns around to address him, he looks reluctant. "Um, look. You're cute and all, and I get things are different here in the city, but you're coming on really strongly and I'm waiting for my boyfr- Oh my god."

Kon jumps out of the booth, impossibly redder than he was before. "You're Robin."

"The one and only," Tim says weakly, standing up to match Kon. Kon scoops him into a crushing hug and holds Tim's body against his. Tim breathes and clutches onto the muscles he's dreamed of for months. "Oof. Can't- breathe. Kon. Up," he wheezes, patting Kon's back.

"Sorry! Sorry!" Kon squeaks, letting Tim go completely. "Did I hurt you, babe?"

"I'm not hurt-" 

"Good, cause I'm gonna do that again," Kon says, following up on his promise. He kisses Tim on the mouth this time, and it's awful. Really. Their teeth clang together at first and Kon kind of moans into Tim's mouth in a way he really shouldn't, considering it's a closed-mouth kiss. Tim accidentally bites Kon's lip and they both squeak, jumping a nose-length's apart. Kon looks embarrassed. "Ugh. That was-"

"We can try again," Tim laughs, blushing. He watches Kon's eyelashes bat over his red cheeks. Nice view. "Maybe somewhere not so public?"

"Right," Kon breathes. He's still holding Tim and seems to have no intention of letting him go. "Wow. You're, uh, bigger than I thought you'd be."

"Well I am..."

"No, I know, but- I just thought I'd be big spoon." Time seems to stand at an uneasy standstill until Tim laughs. "That was a stupid thing to say. Never mind."

"No. No, I like it," Tim says between giggles. "You can still be the big spoon."

"I mean, I might want you to spoon me every now and then," Kon mumbles, finally releasing Tim from his death grip. 

"I'll totally spoon you," Tim promises while slipping into the booth Kon was sitting at originally. Without thinking, Kon sits on the side of the booth next to Tim instead of across from him. It's- nice but awkward, for both of them, as they sit and grin shyly at each other for a bit.

Tim bites his bottom lip. "So this is weird."

Kon laughs, kicking him gently under the table. "Yeah, weird like you."

Somehow, that's all it takes for things to go back to normal. 

Kon isn't even subtle as he wraps his arm around Tim's shoulder and pulls him close, nosing small circles into Tim's cheek. "So you gonna tell me your name or keep me waiting forever?"

"You seriously don't know who I am?" Tim asks, batting Kon's face away. "I'm kind of a big deal."

"If I knew who you were, would I have to ask?" Kon steals a kiss on Tim's cheek. His neck. His ear. Tim shudders.

"I'm- Stop that, we're in public." Kon whines but acquiesces, pulling back. "My name is Timothy. Tim for short."

"Cool, Tim. Tim. Tim... I can get used to it." Kon grins happily at him, as if waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Tim nods, slowly. This is the part where people freak out. "And my last name is Drake...and Wayne."

"Wayne... Like- The big building in the middle of-?"

"Yeah. That's my dad's building." Realization dawns on Kon's face. "So you see why I couldn't...?"

"No  _way!_ " Kon bursts out. "Babe! Your family is loaded!"

"Sweetie. I know that," Tim says, cupping Kon's cheek and giving it a pat. "And if you burst out like that again, I'm literally going to walk home to my million dollar mansion and lock you out."

Kon laughs loudly and Tim worries about too much attention being drawn their way, but he can't bother to care about it. Kon asks him some typical questions ("Do you have an Olympic-sized swimming pool?" "Yes." "Do you have a private theater in your house?" "Yes." "Can we watch Star Wars in it?" "Oh,  _yes_.") and some not-so-typical questions ("So, is it supposed to hurt when you...you know? Stick stuff up there?" "What were you sticking 'up there'...?" "Well I started with a squash because we grow them-" "Stop right there and never finish that sentence."), but overall it's a lovely time. They order two Gotham doughtnuts, which happen to be messy as all get out. Kon brushes some powdered sugar from the tip of Tim's nose with his thumb and licks it. When they're done with the doughtnuts, Tim plays with their fingertips over the table while they talk, talk, and talk. It feels normal. It feels  _right_.

"So," Tim says, kicking Kon back and playing footsie with him. "Wanna get out of here?" 

-

"What do you think?" Tim tries on a number of sunglasses before settling on a pair with lenses shaped like stars. They're so ridiculous, he can't help but laugh. 

"Nice," Kon says, holding his thumbs up. He grabs a pair of heart-shaped sunglasses and tries them on. "Check these out!"

"Ooh, you should get those!" Tim finally says, once he's stopped laughing. They pay for their glasses, Tim pulls up his hoodie, and reaches out for Kon's hand. Kon squeezes back. 

"Sorry about this..." It's difficult enough being Tim Drake-Wayne walking around Gotham without being noticed, let alone being Tim Drake-Wayne  _on a date_  walking around Gotham without being noticed. 

"It's cool." Kon's a surprisingly good sport about it, buying a baseball hat with the Gotham City Knights' logo on it to go with the heart-shaped glasses, as if he's hiding his identity as well. They laugh about it and take selfies together on Tim's phone. Tim replaces his old wallpaper with a picture of them together. 

-

Tim's schedule goes out the window, but neither of them seem to care. 

Tim buys Kon one of Gotham's famous street vendor pizzas, and Kon nearly gets run over twice. ("Just because you see the little man doesn't mean you can just walk!" "This isn't my first time in the city, Rob- er, Tim. People are just crazy here!") Tim explains the history of the buildings as they pass by them, and they buy Gotham keychain souvenirs with each other's name on them. They both attach it to their keys, smiling at each other.

-

"Oh shit," Kon says, checking his phone for the time once it starts getting dark. "My dad said I had to be back before ten, I gotta go. Tomorrow we're going to Metropolis all day, but I'll be back for dinner. I can stay out later the rest of the week though."

Tim hums, noticing but not remarking on how Kon assumed they meet up again tomorrow. It wasn't as though Tim had cleared his entire schedule in case this happened or anything.

Kon pulls his hand away from its new home around Tim's with a sigh. "How much does the subway cost again? Ugh, cities are such a pain in the ass. It takes thirty minutes to get anywhere in this place."

Tim watches Kon pat down his pants and check his wallet for spare change, but all he can think is, 'I don't want this to be over.'

Kon looks up at Tim, who said something, but apparently not what he thought he said. "What?"

"I have a car," Tim repeats.

"...Okay?"

"No, I have a car! With a driver! He can take us- I mean, you- back. It's quicker, so we could...wait here until he shows up?" Great. Now Tim's fidgeting and red and resisting the urge to peel at his nails as a distraction.

Kon watches Tim carefully. "That...sounds expensive."

"It is. But- it's not that big of a deal. It's paid for anyway and it's there whenever I need it. That's why my dad hires our valet, but I never use it, so you know, he'd finally be working for a change." He looks up at Kon hopefully. Even though he's not saying it, it's totally obvious he's thinking, 'please say yes, please say yes, please say yes.' "Totally okay. I mean, if you want to."

Kon bites on his bottom lip, eyes trained on Tim's lips. "How big is the backseat?"

-

When they slide into the Rolls Royce, it's awkward. Tim sits in the middle seat flush next to Kon, and stares directly straight, neither at the valet nor Kon.

"Can you put the window divider up for the back seat, Alfred?" he asks stiffly, wishing anybody else had been on staff. Kon watches the lump in his throat bob in a thick swallow. He'd laugh at the fact Tim has a butler with a snobby name like Alfred, but the atmosphere is too tense for it.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Master Timothy." The valet doesn't flinch, but Kon catches his eyes in the rear-view mirror. He looks away immediately, feeling awkward for reasons he can't explain. "Master Bruce had no news of your boyfriend's arrival in Gotham. I imagine your brothers will want to know of this as well."

"Please don't tell them," Tim peeps. He sounds desperate, more desperate than Kon has ever heard him. Which isn't saying much, considering he's really only known Tim in person for a few hours, but he's known Tim as a person for much longer than that.

Kon bumps his shoulder against Rob's- Tim's. "What, don't want to introduce me to your family?"

Tim looks at him like he's crazy. "What, you don't want to keep me away from yours?"

"Well...about that. Actually I was wondering if you wanted to come with us to Metropolis tomorrow so you could meet my dad. My stepmom lives out there and Ma and Pa're staying with her for the week, so..."

"Marvelous idea, Master Kent," Alfred announces. "I have no doubt Master Bruce will want to evaluate the esteem of your family to make sure it's a suitable match for Master Timothy."

Tim groans. "Trust me," he whispers, "you don't want to meet my family first thing. You'll run away. Screaming. Or crying. Or both."

"Maybe," Kon whispers back, sliding his palm along Tim's leg away from the view of the driver. "But I only have a week and I want to experience everything with you."

"Master Kent," the valet cuts in, "would you kindly remove your hand from Master Timothy's thigh?"

-

As it turns out, Kon does leave screaming. Not crying, but screaming. He doesn't know why there's an angry tween chasing him out of Tim's house with a machete - a  _machete!_ \- but he really doesn't want to know.

-

Since the cat's out of the bag, Tim introduces Kon to his family. The threats from Dick, Jason, and Damian make Kon's eyes go wide and he starts to sweat, but he keeps it together. Tim's proud of him, but if Kon had given in to them, there was no way he'd ever make it past Bruce. Tim squeezes Kon's arm as he introduces Kon to his dad. Not three minutes into Bruce's interrogation, Kon cracks and starts crying.

"Dad, _stop!_ "

-

"Told you you'd run away screaming and crying," Tim says apologetically over brunch.

Kon's cheeks flush but he grins cheekily. "Screaming and crying, yeah, but I'm still here, right?"

-

"You sure you don't want to see the sights?" Dick asks. "We could show you around. It's your first time in Gotham, right?"

"Second time, actually," Kon says easily. Tim sees distaste flash over Dick's face and Jason's morph into pure anger. He hadn't exactly told them about the last time Kon was in town, so it wasn't Kon's fault, but explaining that to his brothers is pointless. It's better to let them think Kon just hadn't bothered to meet up with Tim the first time he came to Gotham. Tim would tell them the truth...some day...maybe.

"I'll show you around my fist," Jason threatens.

"Careful," Tim says. "He might like that."

"One: ew. Two: double ew." Tim smirks because it worked; Jason turns on his heel and leaves. He nuzzles against Kon in Jason's honor.

"So how about it?" Dick tries again, sounding a bit annoyed.

Kon hums from where he's sitting against the couch. His thighs are spread and Tim's sitting between them, head tilted back and leaned against his shoulder. Tim has one arm resting where Kon has an arm wrapped around his waist, and his other is angled comfortably but awkwardly to pet Kon's hair. "Thanks, but I can see all the sights I wanted to see from right here."

"Okay, Kon. That's very sweet and I can tell you're great for Tim, but I'm not really asking. If you don't let go of Timmy in the next five seconds, I really will have to hurt you."

-

They start in Grant Park and end up at Wayne Tower. Kon whistles when the elevator shoots them up fifty flights and again when they switch to the private elevator that travels to the top floor, one of Bruce's most private spaces. 

"Wow," Kon breathes, hands pressed against the glass and his breath fogging it up. "You get to see this every day?"

"Well, not _every_ day," Tim admits. He watches Kon instead of the buildings, signs, and building lighting up Gotham's night below. "But whenever I want to, yes."

"That's so cool!" Kon turns to Tim and grabs his hand. Tim's favorite sight becomes their reflected figures in the Gotham nighttime skyline. Kon squeezes his hand and Tim laces their fingers together. Kon brushes his fingers against Tim's cheek, and then he leans in to peck Tim sweetly on the mouth. 

-

They cuddle in Tim's bed. The door is open - Bruce's orders - but nobody is home except for Alfred, who checks in every thirty minutes on the dot. (Dick fussed over them too much, Jason annoyed them too much, Damian complained about them too much, and Bruce checked on them too much, so Alfred ordered the four of them leave to give Tim and Kon some breathing room.) Alfred checked in three minutes ago, when they pretended to sit and read comics together. Maybe it's knowing that they have 28 minutes before Alfred checks in again, but Tim feels daring, so he closes in the space to kiss Kon. 

Kon groans into Tim's lips and lets his hands slip from Tim's waist to his ass. Tim's body flexes in response, hips bucking against Kon's and then against his hands. Kon groans again and opens his mouth a little. Tim slips in a little tongue and Kon squeezes his ass, making Tim groan this time. Their legs shift against each other, but Tim manages to slip his thigh between Kon's legs.

Tim's lips are shiny from Kon's saliva when he breaks his mouth away from Kon's with a gasp. He feels Kon's pants swelling against his thigh. Tim brackets his other leg around Kon's thigh so it's wedged between his legs.  

They stare at each other but say nothing. An unspoken question passes between them, and Tim answers by bucking his growing hard-on against Kon's thigh. They tumble together messily, rolling on Tim's bed and swallowing each other's moans. Tim finds it a little more than uncomfortable to have his dick still tucked in his underwear and pants while Kon dry humps him through his jeans, but it's also the best he's ever felt in all of his eighteen-and-a-half years of life. They rub and grab and moan at each other until Tim comes with a whine. Kon continues to ride Tim's thigh until he comes too, and they catch their breath together while resting their foreheads against each other. 

" _Wow_ ," Kon whispers.

"Yeah," Tim whispers back. "Wow." 

-

After checking in on them twelve minutes later, Alfred offers to find Kon a new pair of pants and starts checking in on them every ten minutes. Tim doesn't think it's a coincidence that his family shows up eleven minutes later either.

-

Tim feels smothered by his family. Instead of a quiet day in with Kon, his family decides to invite themselves to his and Kon's dates. Damian says he's coming with them when they hit up the zoo and aquarium. Jason trails them in the park and nearly stabs Kon in the eye with a popsicle stick when they try to cuddle on a park bench and share an ice cream cone. Bruce takes them to see a matinee musical. Dick tags along when Tim announces they're going to an indie concert. Jason's following them today and breaks them up whenever Kon tries to do anything more than kiss Tim's cheek. They've lost Jason at least three times, but he keeps showing up miraculously whenever Tim leans in for a kiss. Seriously, Jason has a special talent for ruining his and Kon's special moments.

"Do we really need a babysitter?" Tim groans, knowing fully well this wouldn't be happening if Alfred hadn't explained why he was washing Kon's jeans.

Kon bumps his shoulder against Tim and whispers low enough that Jason can't hear. "Wanna ditch him? I know a place we can go."

-

"So...looks like my dad's out," Kon says, closing the door of the hotel room behind them. Tim's already sitting on what he can tell is Kon's bed by how messy it is, testing the bounce. "We have the room aaall to ourselves until he gets back..."

"Try to be more subtle," Tim snorts. "Come here, Superfuckboy."

Kon practically flies over his dad's bed and jumps onto his knees-first. He crawls over Tim, settling his thighs on either side of Tim's lap. He rocks his ass against Tim's hips experimentally, smirking. "So you wanna...?"

"Yeah," Tim breathes. "Did you bring-?"

" _Yeah_ ," Kon breathes back. He circles his ass into Tim's hips like a joystick. "In fact, I kinda wanna-"

" _Hell yeah_." 

-

Despite their enthusiasm, they end up kneeling in front of each other with their clothes on and stiff as a board, like the two virgins they are. Tim bites his bottom lip, placing both palm's on Kon's chest. Kon gives a little pause, eyes snapping from Tim's lips up to his eyes. Tim watches Kon watch Tim as his hands drift down. He's heard Kon's breath hitch on Skype, but it sounds so much more delicate and breathless in person. Tim's hands keep drifting lower and lower until he rests them on Kon's hips. He watches Kon's nostrils flare and the bump on his throat bob up and down with a thick swallow. His hands circle Kon's hips toward his lower stomach, but stop just above the zipper. "Tim..."

"This okay?" Tim asks quietly, playing with the hem of Kon's shirt.

"Mhm." Kon reaches out and holds Tim's hips. He tugs Tim closer so that their chests bump. "You can take it off."

So Tim does. He stares at Kon's bare chest rising and falling as he breathes and reaches out to feel Kon's skin prickle beneath his touch. He rests his hand over Kon's heart. It's beating so much faster than the calm, slightly nervous exterior Kon is keeping together, and Tim looks at his eyes again, noticing for the first time how they dilate in desire. "You okay, Tim?"

"Yeah," he whispers. Tim leans in to Kiss Kon's neck, starting at the base and kiss up the column of his throat. Kon shudders. He breathes against Kon's pulse. "Totally okay."

-

Tim pats his wet hair with a towel and brings it over to Kon, who lays stomach-flat and snuggles into his pillow sleepily with his bare ass showing. It's a beautiful picture, which Tim snaps for posterity.

Tim's wearing one of the clean robes from bathroom and wipes at Kon's inner thighs. He grabs the supplies Kon left on the nightstand from earlier and begins to clean him up. Tim thought this part would gross him out, especially considering that they haven't known each other in person for very long, but it's- nice. Intimate. Kon had been disappointed when he couldn't take more than three of Tim's fingers and Tim had to admit he thought their first time wouldn't be as vanilla as frotting and some fingering, but they both orgasmed to their satisfaction and kissed each other through the afterglow. A perfect first time.

"Mm, feels good. Wanna go for round two?"

"No way," Tim says. "I know we needed to use it all but you're really...damp."

"Damp enough to stick a finger into me?"

Tim winces and smacks Kon's ass playfully. "That kind of talk is definitely not turning me on." The way Kon's ass jiggles and reddens from where Tim smacked him, however, does.

"Honeyyy," Kon starting begging, wiggling his ass. "C'mon, just one. Who knows when we'll get another chance to-"

Tim hears the door click and he smacks the towel on Kon's ass to cover him up. 

"Yeah, baby," Kon groans, "just like that!"

Tim's stuck like a deer in headlights as he watches the door open and sees a man Tim can imagine Kon looking like in twenty years staring right at him.

"Oh," Kon says, lifting his head from the pillow. He waves weakly at the newcomer. "Hey, Clark."

"...Well. At least it isn't a squash this time."

-

"I swear to God, babe." Kon's voice sounds as strained as his neck, which struggles against the sand Tim caked him in an effort to break free. "When I get out, I'm going to kill you."

"I warned you!" Tim laughs, sculpting massive breasts on Kon's submerged body.

-

Tim's plans weren't a total waste; he gets sunburnt from the beach, Kon buys two photos of them screaming on a roller coaster, and they stuff themselves sick at Pizzafest like Tim promised. Tim frames one of the photos and puts it on his nightstand. It's the last thing he sees after texting Kon good night, and it's the first thing he sees when he wakes up in the morning. Kon doesn't have to know that he kisses it good night and good morning.

-

On the second-to-last day of Kon's visit in Gotham, they get the date that Tim originally planned, that one that has them seeing the Wendy the Werewolf Stalker movie in 3D and buying comics at the Batcave. It's perfect, but he's not sure it's his favorite day of Kon's trip. It was really special introducing Kon and Steph to each other for real during their double date with Steph and Cass, and it definitely wasn't better than that full Wayne-Kent family dinner. Which was to say,  _it was a disaster_. But it was a beautiful disaster, kind of like Tim and Kon's relationship. 

-

"I don't want you to go," Tim whispers against Kon's ear. He doesn't trust himself to speak out loud.

"It's okay, hun." Kon kisses Tim's cheek. He squeezes Tim so hard his biceps flex. "I told you, my dad commutes between Kansas and Metropolis. I'll be back."

Clark clears his throat and smiles sadly at them. "Time to go, boys."

Tim frowns when they pull apart and tries to hold back the tears welling in his eyes. One tear already slipped down Kon's cheek and Tim rubs it away with his thumb.

"Wait." Kon nods at his dad. "Um, can you go ahead? I just need a moment." Clark doesn't move. "Alone."

"Oh, right," Clark says a little awkwardly. "Don't be late for the plane." Tim holds his hand out for a handshake, but Clark pats Tim on the shoulder and tugs him into what he's learning is the signature Kent hug. "Bye, Tim. It was nice meeting you. I hope we get to see you again real soon."

Tim says bye and watches Clark go ahead through security. Kon doesn't say anything, just watches Tim. He bumps his nose against Tim's and closes him in an octopus hug again. Tim considers never letting Kon go. Ever.

"Tim." Kon says it so seriously that Tim can't help but worry. "I want to give you something."

"Okay." Tim doesn't care what it is; if Kon's offering, he'll take it. He'd take all and then more.

"You don't have to accept it," Kon says in a strained voice, but he squeezes Tim tightly in a way that Tim doesn't believe him for one second.

"Just give it to me." Tim instantly regrets his choice of words. They both blush harder than they were already, but it seems to diffuse some of the tenseness. Kon smirks like he did yesterday, when he had Tim pressed up against his bedroom door.

"Alright, then. Give me your hand," Kon prompts, so Tim does. Kon holds his wrist and slips his other hand into his back pocket, pulling out a cheap-looking plastic ring and lines it up with Tim's finger. 

Tim gasps a little as Kon slips it on. "What's this?"

Kon rubs his finger over the plastic jewel on the ring, smiling at it. "It's a promise ring."

"A promise ring," Tim repeats. His gaze shoots from the ring to Kon's eyes. If he hadn't been smiling from cheek-to-cheek already, he'd would at the pure warmth he finds in Kon's eyes. "You are  _so_  old fashioned."

"Shut up."

"So what exactly are you promising?" Tim can't stop staring at the ring, but he also can't stop staring at Kon. He feels - He wishes he could describe it. His chest feels so full and tight like it could burst any second - but in a good way. Tim doesn't know how to explain it other than love songs and romantic movies finally make sense to him.

Kon's close enough that Tim can see his eyelashes flutter as his eyes scan Tim's face, so intense as if memorizing every dip and contour. He reaches up to cup Tim's cheek and brushes his thumb along Tim's cheekbone. Tim forgets to breathe as Kon leans in and kisses him chastely.

"To be with you," Kon whispers. "And only you. Until I come out here for college and can be with you every day."

"That's some promise," Tim says, still reeling from that kiss. "But you know, I was thinking of going to college in Central City. Crazy family and all, you know? Need a break."

"Then I promise to apply to schools in Central City," Kon says easily and kisses Tim's nose. "Bart could be our roommate."

"That's the plan," Tim says. He wishes he had something else to say to that because he knows that once the moment's over, Kon has to go through security and board a plan headed hundreds of miles away from Tim. They hold each other, silently, both hyper aware that Kon has to leave soon but not wanting to spend a second apart.

"Hmm," Tim says, holding his arm out and admiring the plastic ring sitting on his finger. "Looks like the one you won for Steph."

"You mean Robin," Kon corrects. He takes Tim's hand into his own and brings it up to his mouth to kiss his knuckles. "And that's because it is."

Tim's head snaps up and Kon starts laughing by how big his eyes widen. "No way, Steph put it in her purse! How'd you get it back?"

"I asked for it back before she left." Kon blushes and shrugs. Tim's going to miss watching Kon's face darken until his cheeks are bright and warm to Tim's touch. Video screens never quite captured how Kon's ears and his neck flushed when he was embarrassed, and that was a damn shame. "I thought- I didn't know if I ever wanted to meet up at the time but. I knew it was important, so I asked her to give it back."

Tim cradles his hand like it's the most precious thing that exists in the world and threatened to break at mere exposure to oxygen. "You kept it for months."

"Um. Yeah." Kon's beaming so much. His shoulders hang low and relaxed now that Tim's accepted his gift, but he can't fight away the blush. "But I think it was worth it."

"...You can't leave after that," Tim croaks. "It's not fair."

"Yeah, well, you can't come into my life and make it impossible to go back to living without you. _That's_ not fair."

The moment is interrupted by Kon's phone beeping madly. Kon breaks away to peek at it and lets out a hiss. "Shit, they're boarding."

"Fly away, Superboy," Tim whispers. "I'll be right here on the ground when you come back down."

-

"That better not be what I think it is," Bruce says over breakfast, glaring at Tim's hand. Immediately everybody else's attention is also drawn to Tim's hand.

"Uh... That depends, what do you think it is?"

Dick starts sobbing about Tim being too young to get married.

-

 _superboy_  is online

 **Red Robin:**  :DDD  
  **superboy:**  heyyyyy  
  **Red Robin:**  How are you, baby?  
  **superboy:**  i'm okay. long practice bc a big game is coming up   
**superboy:** looking forward to seeing you again in a week :)  
**superboy:** plus wendycooooon  
  **Red Robin:** Me too :)  
  **Red Robin:**  Oooh, against who?  
**Red Robin:** AND YES WENDYCON  
  **superboy:**  rival school. they're GOOD  
  **Red Robin:**  You'll win  
  **superboy:**  I know  
  **Red Robin:**  ................  
  **superboy:**  what  
  **Red Robin:**  You ruined it.  
  **superboy:**  ruined what? D:  
  **Red Robin:**  I *was* going to say  
  **Red Robin:**  And even if you don't, you've still won my heart.  
  **superboy:**  OMG   
**superboy:**  TIM   
**Red Robin:**  SHUT UP   
**superboy:**  YOU'RE SUCH A NERD  
  **Red Robin:**  I'M LEAVING   
**superboy:** NO COME BACK  
**superboy:**  LMAO I LOVE YOU TIM  
  **Red Robin:**  You better, clone boy   
**Red Robin:**  I love you, too <3


End file.
